What is a saturated solution?

A saturated solution is defined as one that contains the maximum amount of solute that can dissolve in a given amount of solvent at a specific temperature and pressure. When this limit is reached, any additional solute added does not dissolve and instead remains as a solid, often settling at the bottom of the container. The concept of saturation is crucial in understanding solubility and the behavior of solutions.

The other options do not accurately represent a saturated solution. A solution that can still dissolve more solute indicates it is not saturated, as saturation implies no additional solute can be accommodated. Similarly, a solution where all solute has precipitated suggests an oversaturation or a different state where solute has moved out of the solution, which does not align with the definition of saturation. Lastly, a solution with equal parts of solute and solvent does not necessarily imply saturation, since the saturation point depends on the specific solute and solvent combination and their respective solubility limits. Therefore, identifying a saturated solution is essential to understanding the limitations of solubility in various contexts.