A solute (a physically separate liquid, solid, or gas) is dissolved by a solvent, which creates a solution. Although it can also be a material or a gas, a solvent is often a liquid. Temperature affects how much solute may dissolve in a given amount of solvent. All the protons and enzymes in a cell are dissolved in water, a solvent for dipoles and the most frequent solvent employed by living organisms. In the chemical, pharmaceutical, oil, and gas sectors, solvents are used in various processes, including chemical synthesis and purification.