Is the concentration of an aqueous solution of sodium chloride in contact with undissolved solute DIFFERENT from the concentration of a saturated sodium chloride solution in water?

1 Answer
Dec 16, 2017

Absolutely not.....

Explanation:

In a saturated solution of a salt in water, there is equilibrium between the solid salt (at the bottom of the flask), and the dissolved salt, present in the homogeneous solution.

#"Solid salt "stackrel("solvent")rightleftharpoons" Dissolved salt"#

We could decant off the supernatant solution, and its concentration would be PRECISELY the same as it was when it was in contact with the undissolved solute.

Here we deal with a saturated solution, i.e. a solution that contains the same amount of solute as would be in equilibrium with undissolved solute. Capisce?