This general information chapter discusses the determination of dissolution rates from nondisintegrating compacts exposing a fixed surface area to a given solvent medium. Compact, as used here, is a nondisintegrating mass resulting from compression of the material under test using appropriate pressure conditions. A single surface having specified physical dimensions is presented for dissolution. Determination of the rate of dissolution can be important during the course of development of new chemical entities because it sometimes permits prediction of potential bioavailability problems and may also be useful for characterizing compendial articles such as excipients or drug substances. Intrinsic dissolution studies are characterization studies and are not referenced in individual monographs. Information provided in this general information chapter is intended to be adapted via a specific protocol appropriate to a specified material.