Conversions between different types of concentration

This document explains how to interconvert between

mass fraction (weight %)

mole fraction
molality

In all cases you need to know the molar mass (M) for both the solvent and the solute.
The expressions below are given for a solution (liquid mixture) of two substances, denoted
by subscripts 1 and 2

Symbols
n .
m
M
w
w%
x
m

amount of substance (number of moles), unit = 1 mole (mol)

mass (incorrectly weight), unit = 1 gram (g), or 1 kilogram (kg)
molar mass, unit = gram/mole (gmol-1), or kg/mole (kgmol-1)
mas fraction, no unit, dimensionless
weight per cent, w% = 100w, unit = %
mole fraction, no unit, dimensionless
molality, unit = mole/kilogram (molkg-1)

All conversions are based on the definition of the molar mass M (a mass of 1 mole of
substance)

m
n

which can be expressed in two more convenient/practical equivalent ways

n

m
M

and

m nM

These two equations are a core of all of the conversions.

The following examples will be shown for aqueous solutions of NaCl.

The molar masses used in the examples are
MNaCl = 58.44 gmol-1 = 0.05844 kgmol-1
Mw = 18.02 gmol-1 = 0.01802 kgmol-1

1. Mass fraction mole fraction conversion

Example:
The mass fraction of NaCl in water is 0.2222. Calculate the mole fraction of NaCl.

The mole fraction of NaCl in water is 0.1111. Calculate the mass fraction of NaCl.

Note : The units for molar masses dont play a role because the molar masses appear
both in the numerator and in the denominator. Thus the units cancel out.

2. Mass fraction molality conversion

Example:
The mass fraction of NaCl in water is 0.1111. Calculate the molality of NaCl.

The molality of NaCl in water is 2.222 molkg-1. Calculate the mass fraction of NaCl.

Important note: Since the molality is expressed in moles per kilogram, the molar mass
used is in kg/mol.

3. Mole fraction molality conversion

Example:
The mole fraction of NaCl in water is 0.05555. Calculate the molality of NaCl.

The molality of NaCl in water is 3.333 molkg-1. Calculate the mole fraction of NaCl.

Important note: Since the molality is expressed in moles per kilogram, the molar mass
used is in kg/mol.

The above formulas are hard to remember. If you dont have them at hand the conversions
can still be made by performing the following steps.
There are three variations.

1. You know the mass fraction

E.g., the mass fraction of NaCl in water is 0.2

w1 w2 1

The mass fraction of water is then 1 - 0.2 = 0.8

Such a concentration is obtained when 0.2g of NaCl and 0.8g of water are mixed.

m1
0.2

w1

m1 m2 0.2 0.8

0.2g of NaCl 0.2/58.44 = 0.003422 moles of NaCl

m
0.2

M 58.44

0.8g of water 0.8/18.02 = 0.04440 moles of water

m
0.8

M 18.02

The mole fraction of NaCl = 0.003422/(0.003422 + 0.04440) = 0.07156

n1
0.003422

x1

n1 n2 0.003422 0.04440

The molality of NaCl = 0.003422/(0.8/1000) = 4.278 molkg-1

n1 0.003422

m1

m2
0.0008

2. You know the mole fraction

E.g., the mole fraction of NaCl in water is 0.05

x1 x2 1

The mole fraction of water is then 1 - 0.05 = 0.95

Such a concentration is obtained when 0.05 mol of NaCl and 0.95 mol of water are
mixed.

n1
0.05

x1

n1 n2 0.05 0.95

0.05mol of NaCl 0.0558.44 = 2.922 g of NaCl

m n M 0.05 58.44

0.95 mol of water 0.9518.02 = 17.12 g of water

m n M 0.95 18.02

The mass fraction of NaCl = 2.922/(2.922 + 17.12) = 0.1458

m1
2.922

w1

m1 m2 2.922 17.12

n
0.05
The molality of NaCl = 0.05/(17.12/1000) = 2.921 molkg-1 m1 1

m2 0.01712

3. You know the molality

E.g., the molality of NaCl in water is 3.000 molkg-1

There are 3.000 moles of NaCl in 1 kg (1000 g) of water

3.000 moles of NaCl 3.00058.44 = 175.32 g of NaCl

m n M 3.000 58.44

1000 g of water 1000/18.02 = 55.49 mol of water

m 1000

M 18.02

The mass fraction of NaCl = 175.32/(175.32+1000) = 0.1492

m1
175.32

w1

m1 m2 175.32 1000

The mole fraction of NaCl = 3.000/(3.000+55.49) = 0.05129

n1
3.000

x1

n1 n2 3.000 55.49

A supplementary material to CHE144 lectures

Prepared by Lubomir Hnedkovsky, April 2014