saturated solutions

please could someone explain what a saturated solution is? e.g in recrystallisation, you first dissolve your crude product in the minimum quantity of hot water to create a saturated solution. is it where you just have enough water to dissolve the solute?

Reply 1

Kimnicolocke

It’s been a long time since I’ve done chemistry, but I think I remember this. It is ‘saturated’ when you can no longer dissolve anymore of the ‘crude product’. For example, if you had a litre of water and started adding salt to it and stirring it so it dissolves, the solution becomes saturated when no more salt will dissolve and no matter how much you stir the additional salt crystals will remain solid. A crude description and not full of scent Ifix terminology but I hope this gives you the idea.

Original post by birthofbambi