What is the difference between aqueous and non-aqueous solutions, and what makes water a good solvent?

An aqueous solution uses water as the solvent, which is a highly polar molecule capable of dissolving many ionic and polar covalent compounds. A non-aqueous solution uses any solvent other than water, such as ethanol, benzene, or carbon tetrachloride, and these solvents have different polarities and chemical properties, leading to different solubility characteristics for various solutes.