Chloroform is a universal solvent but cedarwood oil is not.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Both are universal solvents
• D. Neither is a universal solvent

Answer: (B)

Universal solvents are substances that can dissolve a wide range of solutes, with water being the classic example due to its polarity and ability to form hydrogen bonds. Chloroform is relatively nonpolar and mainly dissolves nonpolar substances, not many salts or highly polar compounds. Cedarwood oil is a complex, largely nonpolar mixture, so it likewise dissolves nonpolar solutes well but not polar or ionic ones. Because neither solvent can dissolve all types of substances, the claim is not true. In chemistry—and in histology practice—water is typically considered the universal solvent, while chloroform and cedarwood oil have much more limited solubility ranges.