Saturated Solution - GCSE Chemistry Definition

Reviewed by: Richard Boole

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A saturated solution is a mixture where a solvent (usually water) has dissolved as much solute as it can at a given temperature. No more solute can dissolve, and any extra stays undissolved at the bottom.

For example, when adding sugar to tea, it will dissolve until the solution becomes saturated—after that, extra sugar won’t dissolve and settles at the bottom.

The amount of solute that can dissolve depends on the temperature:

  • At higher temperatures, more solute can usually dissolve

  • At lower temperatures, some solute may crystallise out

Saturated solutions are important in GCSE Chemistry for understanding solubility, crystallisation, and solution concentration.

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Richard Boole

Reviewer: Richard Boole

Expertise: Chemistry Content Creator

Richard has taught Chemistry for over 15 years as well as working as a science tutor, examiner, content creator and author. He wasn’t the greatest at exams and only discovered how to revise in his final year at university. That knowledge made him want to help students learn how to revise, challenge them to think about what they actually know and hopefully succeed; so here he is, happily, at SME.

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