What is heat of solvation?

Heat of solvation is the amount of heat energy released or absorbed when a solute dissolves in a solvent to form a solution. It is a measure of the strength of the interactions between the solute and solvent molecules during the dissolution process. A negative heat of solvation indicates an exothermic process where heat is released, while a positive heat of solvation indicates an endothermic process where heat is absorbed.