Page "Concentration" Paragraph 2

Often in informal, non-technical language, concentration is described in a qualitative way, through the use of adjectives such as " dilute " for solutions of relatively low concentration and " concentrated " for solutions of relatively high concentration.

To concentrate a solution, one must add more solute ( for example, alcohol ), or reduce the amount of solvent ( for example, water ).

By contrast, to dilute a solution, one must add more solvent, or reduce the amount of solute.

Unless two substances are fully miscible there exists a concentration at which no further solute will dissolve in a solution.

At this point, the solution is said to be saturated.

If additional solute is added to a saturated solution, it will not dissolve, except in certain circumstances, when supersaturation may occur.

Instead, phase separation will occur, leading to coexisting phases, either completely separated or mixed as a suspension.

The point of saturation depends on many variables such as ambient temperature and the precise chemical nature of the solvent and solute.