Glossary
saturated solution
A saturated solution holds all the solute it can at that temperature; an unsaturated one could still dissolve more.
A saturated solution has dissolved as much solute as it can at a given temperature — add more and it simply settles at the bottom instead of dissolving. An unsaturated solution could still dissolve more solute. A supersaturated solution holds more dissolved solute than it normally could at that temperature, and it is unstable — a seed crystal or a knock makes the extra solute come out. For most solid solutes, solubility rises with temperature, so warming a saturated solution lets a little more dissolve, and cooling it again can make crystals appear. The common error is to think a saturated solution is a strong or concentrated one; saturation is about how much can dissolve, so a saturated solution can still be dilute.
Taught in
Related terms
- solute — The solute is the substance that dissolves in a solvent — usually the lesser amount, like the salt in salt water.
- solvent — The solvent is the substance that does the dissolving — usually the greater amount, like the water in salt water.
- solubility — Solubility is how much of a solute will dissolve in a given amount of solvent; for most solid solutes it rises with temperature.
Source: OpenStax Chemistry 1e and Chemistry: Atoms First 1e, first editions (CC BY 4.0). Each definition restates the Chemistry guide in this exam, which carries the per-source citations on its own page. (OpenStax 1e accessed 2026-10-08)