(a) Difference between sol, solution, and suspension:
Sol:
A sol is a colloidal dispersion of solid particles in a liquid medium.
The solid particles in a sol are usually very small, typically ranging from 1 to 1000 nanometers in size.
Sol particles do not settle out over time, and they remain dispersed throughout the liquid due to Brownian motion and electrostatic repulsion.
Sol particles are not visible under a microscope and do not separate when left undisturbed.
Solution:
A solution is a homogeneous mixture of one or more substances (solute) dissolved in another substance (solvent).
In a solution, the solute particles are typically at the molecular or ionic level and are uniformly distributed throughout the solvent.
Solutions are transparent and do not scatter light, making them optically clear.
Solutions are stable and do not separate into different phases over time.
Suspension:
A suspension is a heterogeneous mixture in which solid particles are dispersed in a liquid or gas medium.
The solid particles in a suspension are larger than those in a sol, often visible to the naked eye, and they tend to settle at the bottom when left undisturbed due to gravity.
Suspensions are typically cloudy or opaque because the solid particles scatter light.
They require constant agitation to maintain uniformity.
(b) Saturated and Unsaturated Solutions:
Saturated Solution:
A saturated solution is a solution in which the maximum amount of solute has been dissolved in the solvent at a given temperature and pressure.
In a saturated solution, any additional solute added will not dissolve and will remain as undissolved solid at the bottom of the container.
The concentration of the solute in a saturated solution is at its maximum solubility for that particular temperature and pressure.
When discussing gases, a saturated solution refers to a situation where the gas is in equilibrium with its liquid phase.
Unsaturated Solution:
An unsaturated solution is a solution in which less than the maximum amount of solute has been dissolved in the solvent at a given temperature and pressure.
In an unsaturated solution, additional solute can still be dissolved in the solvent.
The concentration of the solute in an unsaturated solution is below its maximum solubility for that temperature and pressure.
Unsaturated solutions can typically dissolve more solute until they become saturated at the same conditions.
In summary, sols, solutions, and suspensions are different types of mixtures based on the size and behavior of solid particles in a liquid medium. Saturated solutions have the maximum amount of solute dissolved, while unsaturated solutions have room for more solute to dissolve.