A solution is made by dissolving 55 g of #KNO_3#, in 100 g of water at 60 degrees C. Is this solution saturated, unsaturated, or supersaturated?

1 Answer
anor277
Nov 4, 2016

#"Potassium nitrate"# is exceptionally soluble in water. Your solution is #"UNSATURATED"#.

Explanation:

A solution is saturated if it contains the same amount of solute as would be in equilibrium with undissolved solute. Potassium nitrate is very soluble in water, and large quantities can be solvated in water.

As to #"supersaturation"#, this occurs when the solvent contains a greater quantity of solute than would be in equilibrium with undissolved solute. See this site for details on potassium nitrate solubility, which give the values for #"saturated solutions"#. As a chemist, as a physical scientist, you should inform your argument with numbers, with quantitative data.

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