Unsaturated Solutions: Understanding Solubility in Chemistry
by Yuvi K - January 1, 2024
Understanding Unsaturated Solutions in Chemistry
We use the terms ‘saturated’ and ‘unsaturated’ very often in our day-to-day lives. However, few of us understand their significance in terms of chemistry. In this article, we will help you understand the concept of unsaturated solutions in chemistry.
What is a Solution?
A solution is a homogenous mixture of two or more substances where one of the substances is dissolved in the other. It generally comprises two components, the solute ( द्रव् – drav) and a solvent ( बोधक – bodhaka). Examples of solutions include air (oxygen and other components dissolved in nitrogen gas) and salt water (salt dissolved in water).
What is Solubility?
The property of a solute to dissolve in a solvent is known as solubility. Solubility is measured in terms of the amount of the substance which will dissolve in a solvent and the maximum amount it can dissolve. It is expressed in grams of solutes per 100 milliliters of a solvent.
What is a Saturated Solution?
A saturated solution is a solution which has attained equilibrium and contains the maximum amount of solute that can be dissolved in the solvent.
What is an Unsaturated Solution?
An unsaturated solution is a solution that has not reached equilibrium so it does not contain the maximum amount of solute that can be dissolved in the solvent. It has the ability to absorb more of the solute.
In an unsaturated solution, solute molecules are continuously reacting with the solvent molecules and moving from one to the other. They are also constantly losing and gaining energy in the process. The energy of the molecules is directly proportional to the solubility of the solution. As a result, unsaturated solutions tend to be more soluble than saturated solutions.
Difference between saturated and unsaturated solutions
| Saturated Solutions | Unsaturated Solutions |
|---|---|
| Saturated between solute and solvent | Unsaturated between solute and solvent |
| The solute is in the same proportion as that of the solvent | The solute is in less proportion than the solvent |
| Contains maximum amount of solute per unit volume of the solvent | Contains less amount of solute per unit volume of the solvent |
| The intermolecular force between the solute and the solvent is low | The intermolecular force between the solute and the solvent is high |
| Reaches equilibrium | Does not reach equilibrium |
| Less Soluble | More Soluble |
Examples of Saturated and Unsaturated Solutions
An example of a saturated solution is when salt is dissolved in water. A saturated solution has reached equilibrium, and no more salt can be dissolved. If you add more salt, it will not dissolve.
An example of an unsaturated solution is when sugar is dissolved in water. An unsaturated solution has not reached equilibrium, and more sugar can dissolve in the water. If you add more sugar, it will dissolve in the water.
Conclusion
To sum it up, a saturated solution is a solution which has reached equilibrium and contains the maximum amount of solute, while an unsaturated solution is a solution which has not reached equilibrium and can absorb more solute. Unsaturated solutions tend to be more soluble than saturated solutions as they contain less solute per unit volume of the solvent. understanding the concept of saturated and unsaturated solutions is essential to understand the fundamentals of chemistry.
