What describes a saturated solution?

What describes a saturated solution?

• A. The solvent has dissolved more solute than the maximum
• B. No solute is dissolved
• C. The maximum amount of solute is dissolved
• D. The solution is unsaturated.

Answer: (C)

A saturated solution is one that has the maximum amount of solute dissolved at a given temperature. At this point the system is in dynamic equilibrium: the rate at which solute dissolves equals the rate at which dissolved solute crystallizes back out, so the concentration stays constant. If you add more solute, it won’t all dissolve; some will remain as a solid because the solution has reached its solubility limit. By contrast, an unsaturated solution can still dissolve more solute, and a supersaturated solution contains more dissolved solute than normally possible under those conditions (often temporary and unstable).

A saturated solution is one that has the maximum amount of solute dissolved at a given temperature. At this point the system is in dynamic equilibrium: the rate at which solute dissolves equals the rate at which dissolved solute crystallizes back out, so the concentration stays constant. If you add more solute, it won’t all dissolve; some will remain as a solid because the solution has reached its solubility limit. By contrast, an unsaturated solution can still dissolve more solute, and a supersaturated solution contains more dissolved solute than normally possible under those conditions (often temporary and unstable).