saturation

A term applied in many different fields to a state in which a further increase in a variable above a critical value produces no increase in a resultant effect. A saturated solution is one which will dissolve no more solute, and equilibrium having been reached; raising the temperature usually allows more to dissolve: cooling a saturated solution may produce supersaturation, a metastable state, in which sudden crystallization depositing the excess solute occurs if a seed crystal is added. In organic chemistry, a saturated molecule has no double or triple bonds and so does not undergo addition reactions.

See also dew point and condensation.

Related category

• PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

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