A mixture made up of a solvent and a solute is called a solution. The solvent is the substance that dissolves the solute, and the solute is the substance that is dissolved in the solvent. Solutions can be solid, liquid, or gas, depending on the physical state of the solvent and solute. Examples of solutions include salt water (water is the solvent and salt is the solute), carbonated drinks (liquid is the solvent and carbon dioxide gas is the solute), and air (gas is the solvent and various gases are the solutes).
