Which of the following is a key characteristic of a saturated solution?

A saturated solution is defined as a solution that has reached the maximum concentration of solute that can be dissolved in the solvent at a specific temperature. This means that any additional solute added to a saturated solution will not dissolve; instead, it will remain undissolved at the bottom of the container. This characteristic is fundamental to understanding the nature of solutions and the processes involved in solubility.

When a solution is saturated, it represents a dynamic equilibrium between the solute and the solvent. The amount of solute that can remain in solution varies with temperature; generally, increasing the temperature allows more solute to dissolve, while decreasing the temperature can lead to precipitation of the solute.

In contrast, if a solution can dissolve more solute, it is classified as unsaturated, not saturated, illustrating why that option is not applicable. Moreover, a supersaturated solution contains more solute than a saturated solution at a given temperature, but this is an unstable state that can lead to precipitation if disturbed.