Metningsrike

Metningsrike is a term used in Scandinavian languages, notably Norwegian and Swedish, to denote a state or region that is rich in saturation with respect to a particular substance. The term is built from metning (saturation) and rike (rich), and is mainly used in technical texts rather than in everyday language.

In meteorology and atmospheric science, metningsrike air refers to air that has reached the limit of how much water vapor it can hold at a given temperature and pressure. Such air has a relative humidity close to or at 100 percent, and further cooling or compression can lead to condensation and cloud formation.

In soil science and hydrology, a metningsrik zone describes pore spaces that are fully filled with water—the zone of saturation. This contrasts with the vadose or unsaturated zone, where pore spaces contain air in addition to water. The term is often used when discussing groundwater movement and aquifer properties.

In chemistry and physical chemistry, a metningsrik solution is saturated with respect to a solute at a given temperature. The maximum possible amount of solute has been dissolved under those conditions, and additional solute may require a change in temperature or pressure to dissolve.

Metningsrike is thus linked to related concepts such as saturation, degree of saturation (metningsgrad), and oversaturation. It is more common in Norwegian and Swedish technical literature than in English, where terms like saturated and saturation are predominantly used. The concept underpins practical considerations in weather forecasting, soil and groundwater studies, and solutions chemistry.