Final answer:
A solvent unable to dissolve more solute creates a saturated solution, wherein no additional solute can dissolve under the current conditions. Adding more solute to a saturated solution will not result in further dissolution unless the conditions, such as temperature, are altered.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the solvent is unable to dissolve any more solute, the solution becomes saturated. This means that the solution contains the maximum amount of solute that is capable of dissolving at a given temperature and pressure. Additional solute will not dissolve in a saturated solution unless conditions such as temperature are changed.
In the context of the dissolution process, a solution that can still dissolve more solute is known as an unsaturated solution. If conditions are manipulated, for example, by heating the solvent, more solute than normally possible can be dissolved, resulting in a supersaturated solution, which is metastable and can precipitate solute rapidly under certain conditions. Figuring out if a solution is saturated can be done by adding more solute to it; if it does not dissolve, the solution was already saturated.