In your own words, explain why crystals form when solvent is removed from a saturated solution.

When a solvent is removed from a saturated solution, the solution becomes supersaturated, meaning it contains more solute than it can normally hold at a given temperature. As the solvent evaporates or is removed, the remaining solute becomes concentrated.

Here’s a clearer breakdown of the process:

1. Saturation Point: Initially, the solution is saturated, meaning it has dissolved the maximum amount of solute at that particular temperature.

2. Supersaturation: When the solvent is removed, the concentration of the solute increases beyond its saturation point, leading to a state of supersaturation.

3. Nucleation: In this supersaturated environment, molecules of solute begin to come together to form small clusters, or nuclei. This process is called nucleation.

4. Crystal Growth: As more solute molecules find these nuclei, they join in and grow the crystals larger. This happens because solid solute is more stable than dissolved solute when the solution is supersaturated.

5. Formation of Crystals: Eventually, as more and more solute molecules aggregate around the nucleated sites, distinct crystal structures form, resulting in the growth of visible crystals.

In summary, the removal of solvent causes a shift from a state of equilibrium to a supersaturated state, encouraging the solute to transition from the dissolved state to a solid crystalline structure.