Question

A saturated solution means that:

a. responses additional solute can be dissolved in the solvent as long as the solute/solvent pair are both polar.
b. additional solute can be dissolved in the solvent as long as the solute/solvent pair are both polar.
c. no more solute can dissolve in the solvent at the current temperature and pressure conditions.
d. additional solute can be dissolved in the solvent as long as the solute/solvent pair are both nonpolar.
e. no more solute can dissolve in the solvent under any circumstances.

Answer 1

A saturated solution is one where no more solute can dissolve at the current conditions. Supersaturated solutions exceed this normal limit but are unstable. Unsaturated solutions contain less than the maximum solute that can be dissolved.

Step-by-step explanation:

A saturated solution means that no more solute can dissolve in the solvent at the current temperature and pressure conditions. This is because the solution already contains the maximum amount of solute that is capable of dissolving under those conditions.

For example, at 20°C, 36.0 g of NaCl is the maximum amount that will dissolve in 100 g of water. If more NaCl is added beyond this point, it will not dissolve. However, if more water is added, more NaCl can dissolve because the amount of solvent has increased. A supersaturated solution is when more solute than the normal solubility limit is dissolved, typically achieved through special preparation and it is not stable. Unsaturated solutions, on the other hand, contain less solute than the maximum amount that can be dissolved.