The key difference between dilute and unsaturated solution is that a dilute solution is a type of liquid solution prepared by adding more solvent to a concentrated solution, whereas an unsaturated solution is a type of solution into which we can add more solute.
A solution is a liquid consisting of a solvent and a solute. The solute is the substance that dissolves in the solvent. If the solvent contains a lot of solutes, then we call it a concentrated solution. We can use a concentrated solution to prepare a dilute solution by adding more solvent. The term unsaturated solution also has similar chemical properties to that of a dilute solution, but they are different from each other.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is a Dilute Solution
3. What is an Unsaturated Solution
4. Dilute vs Unsaturated Solution in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Dilute vs Unsaturated Solution
What is a Dilute Solution?
A dilute solution is a type of solution in which there is a relatively small amount of solute dissolved in the solution. In other words, a dilute solution is a solution made by adding more solvent to a concentrated solution. A concentrated solution contains a large number of solutes per unit volume. A dilute solution contains a small number of solutes per unit volume.
The process of dilution is used to prepare a dilute solution. In this process, we can decrease the concentration of a solute in a solution by mixing more solvents into the solution. For instance, we can make a dilute solution by adding water to a concentrated aqueous solution. In this process, we should not add any more solutes into the solution because it will not dilute the solution. Adding more solvents can decrease the number of solutes present per unit volume of the solution. After the dilution process, we need to mix the solution thoroughly to make the solution even and identical in every unit volume.
What is an Unsaturated Solution?
An unsaturated solution is a type of solution that lacks the maximum amount of solutes that can be dissolved in the solvent. In other words, we can add more solutes into unsaturated solutions until it gets saturated. A saturated solution is a type of solution in which the maximum amount of solutes is dissolved in the solvent. Therefore, we can compare a dilute solution with an unsaturated solution and a concentrated solution with a concentrated solution.
In chemical terms, an unsaturated solution is a chemical solution having its solute concentration lower than its equilibrium solubility. Therefore, the unsaturated solution has a concentration of solute below the saturation point of the solute. For instance, dissolving one tablespoon of sugar in water will make an unsaturated aqueous solution of sugar.
What is the Difference Between Dilute and Unsaturated Solution?
A solution is made of a solvent and one or more solutes. The amount of solutes per unit volume of solution is named as the concentration of the solution. There are different types of solutions. The key difference between dilute and unsaturated solution is that dilute solution is a type of liquid solution prepared by adding more solvent to the concentrated solution, whereas the unsaturated solution is a type of solution into which we can add more solute.
Below is a summary of the difference between dilute and unsaturated solution in tabular form for side by side comparison.
Summary – Dilute vs Unsaturated Solution
A dilute solution is a type of solution in which there is a relatively small amount of solute dissolved in the solution. An unsaturated solution is a type of solution that lacks the maximum amount of solutes that can be dissolved in the solvent. The key difference between dilute and unsaturated solution is that dilute solution is a type of liquid solution prepared by adding more solvent to the concentrated solution, whereas the unsaturated solution is a type of solution into which we can add more solute.
Reference:
1. “13.7: Solution Dilution.” Chemistry LibreTexts, Libretexts, 20 Feb. 2021.
2. Mott, Vallerie. “Introduction to Chemistry.” Lumen.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Prosecco-sparkling-wine-cocktail” (CC0) via Pixabay
2. “Spoon Sugar Solution with Glass” By APN MJM – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia