Supersaturated Solutions

A supersaturated solution is one where the solvent contains more dissolved substance than it can normally hold at a given temperature. This unstable state is achieved by dissolving the solute at a higher temperature and then carefully cooling it down without disturbing it. Because it contains more solute than equilibrium allows, the solution is highly unstable and can rapidly form crystals or precipitate out when disturbed or provided a specific trigger. This phenomenon is used in processes like crystal growing and certain type of chemical reactions.