Why are some substances not able to dissolve in water? a. the attraction between the solute and solvent particles is too strong to mix. b. the attraction between the solute and solvent is not very strong. c. the chemical bonds in the solvent are too strong to be broken. d. the solute and solvent are not able to react together.

The dissolving of substances involves the breaking of  intermolecular attraction forces of solvent-solvent molecules and solute-solute molecules. These forces must be broken before solute-solvent attraction forces take effect. The attraction forces of solute-solvent molecules must be strong enough to break the intermolecular forces of the solute and the solvent. The answer to this question will hence be B. The attraction between the solute and solvent is not very strong.