Saturated solution
A saturated solution is a mixture in which a solvent, typically water, has dissolved the maximum amount of a solute, such as salt or sugar, at a given temperature. When the solution reaches this point, any additional solute added will not dissolve and will remain undissolved at the bottom. This occurs because the solvent molecules are fully occupied with solute particles, creating a balance. Temperature can affect saturation; usually, heating the solution allows more solute to dissolve. Therefore, a saturated solution represents a limit to how much of a substance can mix with a liquid.
Additional Insights
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A saturated solution is a mixture where no more solute can dissolve in a solvent at a given temperature. Essentially, when you keep adding a substance (like salt) to water, it dissolves until the solution reaches its limit. After that point, any additional salt will remain undissolved at the bottom, because the solution is "full" of dissolved salt. This concept is important in chemistry, as it helps us understand how substances interact and how solutions behave under different conditions.