Difference between the concentration of the supersaturated solution (see supersaturation) required for nucleation (
\(Q\)) and its solubility (
\(S\)), divided by the solubility,
\((Q − S)/S\).
Notes: - The units of the quantities \(Q\) and \(S\) must be the same.
- The particle size of a precipitate increases as its relative supersaturation decreases, so \(Q\) should be kept low and \(S\) should be high during gravimetric analysis by precipitation.
Source:
PAC, 2025, 97, 137. 'Glossary of terms for mass and volume in analytical chemistry (IUPAC Recommendations 2024)' on page 9 (https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2023-0903)