What does a supersaturated solution indicate about solubility at a given temperature?

A supersaturated solution is a special case in which the amount of solute is greater than what would normally dissolve at a specific temperature. This condition occurs when a solution is prepared by dissolving a solute at a higher temperature and then slowly cooling it down. As the solution cools, it can retain more solute than is typically soluble at the lower temperature, resulting in a state where the solution is holding more solute than it can normally accommodate.

When a solution is supersaturated, it is unstable. If disturbed, such as by adding a small crystal of solute or shaking, the excess solute can precipitate out of solution, returning to a saturated state. This characteristic indicates that the solution exceeds the normal solubility limits at that specific temperature, making it a distinct situation in solubility dynamics.