What is the Difference Between Saturated and Supersaturated Solution?

The main difference between saturated and supersaturated solutions lies in the amount of dissolved solute they contain. Here are the key differences:

Saturated Solution: A saturated solution contains the maximum amount of solute that can be dissolved in a solvent at a given temperature. If more solute is added, it will not dissolve, and the solution will reach equilibrium with the solute particles.
Supersaturated Solution: A supersaturated solution contains more dissolved solute than can be dissolved in a solvent at a given temperature. It has more undissolved solute than a saturated solution and tends to crystallize and precipitate.

To differentiate between these two types of solutions, you can look for the following indicators:

Saturated solutions will have crystals remaining at the bottom of the container.
Supersaturated solutions will have no crystals remaining at the bottom of the container.

To create a supersaturated solution, you can begin with a saturated solution and then add more solute, cooling it gently. In a supersaturated solution, some of the excess solute can remain undissolved, but if the solution is disturbed, the excess solute may crystallize.

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What is the Difference Between Saturated and Supersaturated Solution?

Comparative Table: Saturated vs Supersaturated Solution

Here is a table comparing the differences between saturated and supersaturated solutions:

Feature	Saturated Solution	Supersaturated Solution
Amount of Solute	Maximum amount that can be dissolved in the solvent at a given temperature and pressure	More than the maximum amount that can be dissolved in the solvent at the same temperature
Precipitation	Does not show precipitation at the bottom of the container	Shows precipitation at the bottom of the container if the physical conditions change
Preparation	Prepared by evaporating a solvent from a solution until the solute reaches its maximum solubility	Prepared by adding the solute in excess at a high temperature and then cooling the solution
Solubility	Contains the maximum concentration of a solute in a solvent	Contains more dissolved solute than could ordinarily dissolve in the solvent under the same conditions

A saturated solution has the maximum amount of solutes that can be dissolved in a solvent at a given temperature and pressure, while a supersaturated solution contains more than the maximum amount of solutes that can be dissolved in the solvent at the same temperature.

Guilherme Mazui

Guilherme Mazui is graduated in journalism from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) and a master's degree in Communication from the University of São Paulo (USP). In addition, he has experience in advertising writing and has worked as a content editor in several companies.