Which term describes a solution that has not yet dissolved the maximum amount of solute?

Which term describes a solution that has not yet dissolved the maximum amount of solute?

• A. Saturated
• B. Supersaturated
• C. Unsaturated
• D. Concentrated

Answer: (C)

The idea is about how much solute a solution can still hold at a given temperature. If a solution hasn’t reached that limit yet, there’s room for more solute to dissolve, so it’s unsaturated. It’s not at the maximum dissolved amount, and adding more solute will typically dissolve, increasing the concentration until it becomes saturated. Saturated means you’ve reached the limit: no more solute can dissolve at that temperature (any extra solute may settle out). Supersaturated is a more unusual state where there’s more dissolved solute than normally possible under those conditions, often created temporarily by changing conditions and it can crystallize out. Concentrated just describes a high amount of solute relative to solvent, but doesn’t by itself specify whether additional solute can still dissolve.

The idea is about how much solute a solution can still hold at a given temperature. If a solution hasn’t reached that limit yet, there’s room for more solute to dissolve, so it’s unsaturated. It’s not at the maximum dissolved amount, and adding more solute will typically dissolve, increasing the concentration until it becomes saturated.

Saturated means you’ve reached the limit: no more solute can dissolve at that temperature (any extra solute may settle out). Supersaturated is a more unusual state where there’s more dissolved solute than normally possible under those conditions, often created temporarily by changing conditions and it can crystallize out. Concentrated just describes a high amount of solute relative to solvent, but doesn’t by itself specify whether additional solute can still dissolve.