Precipitation is the formation of a solid in a solution or inside another solid during a chemical reaction or by diffusion in a solid. When the reaction occurs in a liquid, the solid formed is called the precipitate. The chemical that causes the solid to form is called the precipitant. Without sufficient force of gravity to bring the solid particles together, the precipitate remains in suspension. After sedimentation, especially when using a centrifuge to press it into a compact mass, the precipitate may be referred to as a pellet. The precipitate-free liquid remaining above the solid is called the supernate or supernatant. Powders derived from precipitation have also historically been known as flowers. Precipitation may occur if the concentration of a compound exceeds its solubility. Precipitation may occur rapidly from a supersaturated solution. In solids, precipitation occurs if the concentration of one solid is above the solubility limit in the host solid, due to e.g. rapid quenching or ion implantation, and the temperature is high enough that diffusion can lead to segregation into precipitates. Precipitation in solids is routinely used to synthesize nanoclusters. Wikipedia [ - ]

Precipitation is the formation of a solid in a solution or inside another solid during a... [ + ]