The first thing we are going to do in order to clearly establish the meaning of the term aqueous is to discover its etymological origin. In this case, we can say that it is a word that derives from Latin, exactly from “aquosus”, which is the fruit of the sum of two components:
-The noun “aqua”, which can be translated as “water”.
-The suffix “-osus”, which is equivalent to “abundance”.
This adjective refers to that which is constituted by water or that has a large quantity of it. It also alludes to what looks like water.
The aqueous humor is a liquid that is in the eyeball, in front of the lens. This substance allows oxygenation and nutrition of the aforementioned lens and cornea, which lack blood supply.
Other functions of the aqueous humor are to provide nutrients to the lens and the cornea and help the light refraction reach the retina. It also contributes to different structures remaining in position.
It is important to mention that certain changes in the aqueous humor cause eye diseases. The increase in the pressure of this liquid generates glaucoma, which affects the field of vision.
We have to expose this pathology that is identified because there is a gradual loss of what are the nerve fibers of the optic nerve. In other words, the person who suffers from it not only begins experiencing notable changes in the visual field but, little by little, loses sight.
The aqueous solutions, furthermore, are those formed with water. This means that water acts as the only solvent or, in certain cases, as the main solvent. See ABBREVIATIONFINDER.ORG for abbreviations related to Aqueous.
It should be remembered that a solution is a homogeneous mixture that is formed when a solute dissolves in a solvent. If the solvent is water, we are talking about an aqueous solution.
There is an immense amount of substances that are soluble in water. This is why it is common for water to be called a universal solvent and for aqueous solutions to be very numerous.
We can determine that aqueous solutions, for the sake of clarity, receive this name because they involve two solvents, with water being the most relevant, the one that is present in the greatest quantity. In the same way, it should not be forgotten that they are used daily in laboratories and even in industries, especially highlighting those that revolve around chemistry.
Although we have mentioned that water is a universal solvent, it must be taken into account that there are substances that dissolve better in it than others. Thus, for example, we can emphasize that the most soluble are the so-called ionic ones, such as sodium chloride. On the other hand, the least soluble are covalent substances, among which we can highlight insoluble metals.
The brine is an example of aqueous solution. It is table salt that dissolves in water, obtaining a solution that can be used for gastronomic purposes.
