övermättade

Övermättade is a Swedish term describing a state in which something is saturated to an excessive degree. In science, the most common use refers to supersaturated solutions: solutions that contain more dissolved solute than their normal equilibrium capacity at a given temperature. This condition is metastable, meaning it can persist only if the system remains undisturbed; any disturbance, seeding, or nucleation can trigger crystallization and release the excess solute.

Formation and characteristics: Supersaturation is typically achieved by dissolving solute at higher temperature and then gradually cooling or removing solvent while keeping the dissolved amount above the usual solubility limit. The resulting solution can remain clear and homogeneous until a disturbance causes rapid crystallization. Factors such as temperature, pressure, and solvent composition influence the degree of supersaturation.

Examples and applications: A classic example is sugar in water, dissolved at a high temperature and then cooled to room temperature, producing a supersaturated solution that may crystallize if disturbed. In industrial and laboratory settings, supersaturation is exploited in crystallization and materials synthesis to obtain specific solid phases or high-purity crystals.

Other uses: The term is also used more loosely in everyday language to describe something overloaded or excessively intense, such as colors described as övermättade färger (oversaturated colors) in photography, printing, or digital media.

Etymology: The word derives from över- (over) and mättad (saturated), with the usual adjectival ending.

See also: Saturation, Supersaturation, Nucleation, Crystallization.