Saturieren

Saturieren is a German verb meaning to saturate, to fill to capacity, or to bring a system to a state of saturation. The word derives from Latin saturare and entered German via French saturer, with cognates in several languages.

In chemistry and materials science, a solution is described as saturated when it contains as much solute as it can at a given temperature, and no more dissolves; an undersaturated system can dissolve more solute, whereas in a supersaturated state solute exists beyond equilibrium under special conditions. In soils or porous media, saturation refers to the proportion of pores filled with water.

In color theory and digital imaging, saturation denotes the vividness or purity of a color. Increasing saturation intensifies hue; decreasing it moves toward gray; color spaces like HSL and HSV separate saturation as an adjustable parameter, and oversaturation can produce unnatural colors.

In electronics and signal processing, saturation describes a non-linear region of a device's response. For a transistor, saturation occurs when the collector-emitter voltage is minimal and the device cannot increase current with further input, effectively acting as a closed switch; in amplifiers, saturation distorts the output.

In economics and market analysis, market saturation characterizes a situation where demand growth slows because most potential customers are already served, limiting opportunities for new sales. Saturation can arise from competition, market maturity, or substitution effects.