Yes, a solution can be both dilute and saturated at the same time under certain conditions, and this typically occurs when the solution is in a state of dynamic equilibrium.
To understand this concept, we first need to clarify the definitions. A dilute solution is one that has a relatively low concentration of solute compared to the solvent. On the other hand, a saturated solution is one in which no more solute can dissolve at a given temperature and pressure; it contains the maximum amount of dissolved solute in equilibrium with its undissolved form.
The key to this seeming contradiction lies in the concept of dynamic equilibrium. Imagine you have a saturated solution of salt in water. At a certain temperature, there is a balance between the salt dissolving in the water and the salt precipitating out of the solution. This means that for every salt particle that dissolves, another is crystallizing out.
Now, if you were to add a small amount of more solvent (like water) to this saturated solution, you could effectively dilute it without disrupting the saturated state, as long as the additional solute does not exceed the solubility limit. In this situation, the solution retains its capacity to dissolve further solute while also being concentrated enough to reach saturation.
Thus, at the right conditions, a solution can be considered both dilute (due to the presence of excess solvent) and saturated (due to the maximum concentration of solute being achieved) at the same time.