Sättigung

Sättigung is a term used across disciplines to describe a state in which a system has reached its maximum capacity to absorb, respond to, or produce a further change under given conditions. The exact meaning depends on the field, but a common thread is that additional input no longer yields proportional output.

In color science and imaging, saturation refers to the intensity or vividness of a color. High saturation produces bright, pure colors; low saturation yields duller colors or gray. In digital color models such as HSV or HSL, saturation is a parameter that scales colorfulness independently of brightness.

In chemistry, a saturated solution contains the greatest amount of dissolved solute for a given temperature, so that no more solute dissolves. If more solute is added, it may precipitate. Temperature affects solubility; some solutions become saturated as they warm or cool.

In electronics and magnetism, saturation describes a limit of response. Magnetic saturation occurs when magnetic domains are fully aligned and magnetization cannot increase further. In transistors or amplifiers, the saturation region is where the output no longer follows the input because the device is operating at its limit.

In physiology, oxygen saturation (SpO2) measures the percentage of hemoglobin carrying oxygen in the blood; typical healthy values are around 95–100%.

Market and ecological contexts describe saturation as a point where growth slows because most potential adopters or resources have been used, leading to a plateau.