Undersaturation is a state of a

solution Solution may refer to: * Solution (chemistry), a mixture where one substance is dissolved in another * Solution (equation), in mathematics ** Numerical solution, in numerical analysis, approximate solutions within specified error bounds * Solu ...

that contains less of a dissolved material than could be dissolved by that quantity of

solvent A solvent (from the Latin language, Latin ''wikt:solvo#Latin, solvō'', "loosen, untie, solve") is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a Solution (chemistry), solution. A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas ...

under normal circumstances. It can also refer to a

vapor In physics, a vapor (American English) or vapour (Commonwealth English; American and British English spelling differences#-our, -or, see spelling differences) is a substance in the gas phase at a temperature lower than its critical temperature,R ...

of a compound that has a lower (partial) pressure than the compound's

vapor pressure Vapor pressure or equilibrium vapor pressure is the pressure exerted by a vapor in thermodynamic equilibrium with its condensed phases (solid or liquid) at a given temperature in a closed system. The equilibrium vapor pressure is an indicat ...

. Undersaturation is often followed by ingassing of the solvate until saturation is reached.{{cite journal, title=Aragonite undersaturation in the Arctic Ocean: effects of ocean acidification and sea ice melt, pmid=19965425 , doi=10.1126/science.1174190 , volume=326, issue=5956 , journal=Science, pages=1098–100 , last1 = Yamamoto-Kawai , first1 = M , last2 = McLaughlin , first2 = FA , last3 = Carmack , first3 = EC , last4 = Nishino , first4 = S , last5 = Shimada , first5 = K, bibcode=2009Sci...326.1098Y , year=2009 Most states of solution involve undersaturation.

References

* Solutions

See also

References