What properties of water make it useful as a solvent? What types of compound can it (i) dissolve, and (ii) hydrolyse ?

Explanation

Water has a high dielectric constant (78.39) and high dipole moment (1.85 D). On account of these properties, water acts as an excellent solvent for most of the inorganic and several covalent compounds (e.g., alcohols, acids, carbohydrates, etc.). This is why water is termed as a universal solvent.