Final answer:
Yes, salt can indeed sediment and settle at the bottom of a beaker when the solubility limit is exceeded, creating a saturated solution where excess undissolved salt settles due to the equilibrium between dissolved ions and solid salt.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yes, sedimentation can be observed by allowing salt to settle at the bottom of a beaker. When the amount of salt (NaCl) added to water exceeds the solubility limit, which is typically 36-39 g per 100 mL of water, it reaches what is known as a saturated solution. In this state, the solution cannot dissolve more salt, leading to sedimentation, where the excess undissolved salt settles at the bottom of the beaker.
The process of sedimentation can be observed in various scenarios, such as in natural water bodies where particles settle down, or in medical tests for estimating the sedimentation rate of blood cells. In our case with the salt-water mixture, as more salt is added beyond the point of saturation, it will form a layer at the bottom due to the opposing processes of dissolution and recrystallization reaching an equilibrium.
It's important to note that this sedimentation of salt, unlike true solutions like sugar in water, is a reversible reaction. Even in a saturated solution where the salt settles, there is a constant exchange where individual salt ions rejoin the solid salt and break away again, maintaining the equilibrium between the dissolved ions and the solid salt.