Year 11 / Aqueous solutions and acidity
Concentration counts amount per volume.
The solute is dissolved in the solvent to form a solution. Concentration in mol is amount of solute divided by final solution volume. Dissolving a solid in 100 mL of solvent does not necessarily produce exactly 100 mL of solution.
Dilution adds solvent while preserving solute amount, so c₁V₁ = c₂V₂. Use the same volume units on both sides. For a fully dissociated ionic solute, ion concentrations follow the formula ratio; 0.10 M CaCl₂ gives 0.20 M chloride ions.
Same solute, more solution
Explore the relationship
Dissolved amount remains constant during dilution. Volume is final solution volume.
Concentration / mol L⁻¹
Tap or focus a plotted point to read its values.
View plotted data as a table
| Series | Solution volume / L | Concentration / mol L⁻¹ |
|---|---|---|
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.1 | 0.5 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.115 | 0.434783 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.13 | 0.384615 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.145 | 0.344828 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.16 | 0.3125 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.175 | 0.285714 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.19 | 0.263158 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.205 | 0.243902 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.22 | 0.227273 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.235 | 0.212766 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.25 | 0.2 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.265 | 0.188679 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.28 | 0.178571 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.295 | 0.169492 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.31 | 0.16129 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.325 | 0.153846 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.34 | 0.147059 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.355 | 0.140845 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.37 | 0.135135 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.385 | 0.12987 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.4 | 0.125 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.415 | 0.120482 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.43 | 0.116279 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.445 | 0.11236 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.46 | 0.108696 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.475 | 0.105263 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.49 | 0.102041 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.505 | 0.0990099 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.52 | 0.0961538 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.535 | 0.0934579 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.55 | 0.0909091 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.565 | 0.0884956 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.58 | 0.0862069 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.595 | 0.0840336 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.61 | 0.0819672 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.625 | 0.08 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.64 | 0.078125 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.655 | 0.0763359 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.67 | 0.0746269 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.685 | 0.0729927 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.7 | 0.0714286 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.715 | 0.0699301 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.73 | 0.0684932 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.745 | 0.0671141 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.76 | 0.0657895 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.775 | 0.0645161 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.79 | 0.0632911 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.805 | 0.0621118 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.82 | 0.0609756 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.835 | 0.0598802 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.85 | 0.0588235 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.865 | 0.0578035 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.88 | 0.0568182 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.895 | 0.0558659 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.91 | 0.0549451 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.925 | 0.0540541 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.94 | 0.0531915 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.955 | 0.052356 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.97 | 0.0515464 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 0.985 | 0.0507614 |
| Concentration / mol L⁻¹ | 1 | 0.05 |
Explore: Increase solution volume at fixed amount. Check that cV remains constant.
Dilute 20.0 mL of 0.50 M solution to a total of 100.0 mL.
- c₂ = 0.50 × .
- c₂ = 0.10 mol .
Assumed knowledge
Moles and millilitre-to-litre conversion.
Learning checkpoints & source
YOUR LEARNING CHECKPOINT- Distinguish solute, solvent and solution.
- Calculate molarity and dilution.
READY TO TRY IT?