Solubility refers to the maximum amount of a substance that can dissolve in a given amount of solvent at a given temperature to form a saturated solution. A saturated solution contains the maximum amount of solute dissolved and is in a state of dynamic equilibrium. A supersaturated solution contains more solute dissolved than a saturated solution at that temperature; adding a seed crystal or agitation will cause crystallization. Factors like agitation, temperature, and particle size affect the rate of dissolution, with increased agitation, temperature, or smaller particle size increasing the rate of dissolution.

1. Properties of Solutions

3. (a) A solid solute is added to a fixed quantity of water. (b) After a few minutes, the solution is colored due to the dissolved solute, and there is less undissolved solute than in (a). (c) After a longer time, the solution color has deepened, and the quantity of undissolved solute is further diminished from that in (b). The solution in (b) must be unsaturated because more can dissolve. (d) Still later, the solution color and the quantity of undissolved solute appear to be the same as that in (c). Dynamic equilibrium must have been attained in (c) and persists in (d). In both (c) and (d), the solution is saturated.

5. Supersaturated solution