What are the characteristics of a Supersaturated solution.
Answer (1)
A supersaturated solution is a solution that contains more solute than it can normally dissolve at a given temperature and pressure. This occurs under special conditions and has the following characteristics:1. Excess Solute: A supersaturated solution contains more solute than what would normally dissolve in a solvent at a specific temperature. The solution appears stable but contains an amount of solute above the equilibrium solubility.2. Instability: Supersaturated solutions are unstable. If disturbed (for example, by adding a seed crystal or shaking), the excess solute will rapidly precipitate out of the solution, returning to the normal saturated state.3. Preparation Under Special Conditions: Supersaturated solutions are typically prepared by dissolving solute in a solvent at a high temperature, then carefully cooling the solution. During cooling, the solute doesn't crystallize immediately, resulting in an excess of solute in the solution.4. Potential for Crystallization: A supersaturated solution is in a metastable state and is likely to crystallize or precipitate the excess solute if it is disturbed or if a nucleation site (such as a scratch on the container or a small impurity) is introduced.5. Higher Concentration than Saturated Solution: In a supersaturated solution, the concentration of the solute is higher than in a saturated solution, where no more solute can be dissolved at the given temperature.Example of a supersaturated solution when sugar is dissolved in hot water until no more sugar can dissolve, and then the solution is slowly cooled. If undisturbed, the solution can hold more sugar than it normally could at lower temperatures.
