question on wood finishes

[beebeenator]

I have gone and read through the basics. if you stain with oil .. you finish with oil and the same goes with the other mediums.

however i got a PYE polyurethane finish. I prefer it over Zar coz it dries in 3 hours.. then you can recoat or sand then recoat etc.

HOwever in the world of paranoid product labeling the can doesnt say if its oil or lacquer or solvent or water (i am sure it is not) based.

Is there a way to figure out what a stain/finish is based just by observation (or feel or smell?) ?

Thanks

Cheers

[guad]

This might help, or confuse even more...
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/features/finish2.html

although I am still confused, e.g., by compound terms like 'polyurethane varnish'.