Ask A Scientist Chemistry Archive

name         Mie D.
status       stdent
age          16

Question -   Is it possible to achieve a saturated solution using
water and another liquid?  Or can you only do this with water and a solid
such as salt?
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Yes, it is possible for aqueous solutions to be saturated with a liquid
instead of a solid.  It is also possible for aqueous solutions to be
saturated with a gas.  It is just that when these solutions become
supersaturated, the solute separates out as a liquid or a gas instead of as
crystals.

Richard E. Barrans Jr., Ph.D.
PG Research Foundation, Darien, Illinois
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>Yes it is possible to saturate water with another liquid.  For example many
>organic solvents are only slightly soluble in water.  If you were to put
>two liquids such as benzene and water into a bottle, they would mostly stay
>as separate phases.  However, you would find traces of benzene in the
>water, and water in the benzene.
>
>Don Yee
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