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Expressing Concentrations of Solutions

A complete description of a solution states what the solute is and how much solute is
dissolved in a given amount of solvent or solution. The quantitative relationship
between solute and solvent is the concentration of the solution. This concentration
may be expressed using several different methods, as discussed next.

A. Concentration by Mass
The concentration of a solution may be given as the mass of solute in a given amount
of solution, as in the following statements: The northern part of the Pacific Ocean
contains 35.9 g salt in each 1000 g seawater. The North Atlantic Ocean has a higher
salt concentration, 37.9 g salt/1000 g seawater.

B. Concentration by Percent
The concentration of a solution is often expressed as percent concentration by mass or
percent by volume of solute in solution. Percent by mass is calculated from the mass
of solute in a given mass of solution. A 5%-by-mass aqueous solution of sodium
chloride contains 5 g sodium chloride and 95 g water in each 100 g solution.

mass of solute
Percent by mass = X 100%
mass of solution

Example:
How many grams of glucose and of water are in 500 g of a 5.3% by-
mass glucose solution
Solution
We know that 5.3% of the solution is glucose:

The remainder of the 500 g is water:

If both solute and solvent are liquids, the concentration may be expressed as percent
by volume. Both ethyl alcohol and water are liquids; the concentration of alcohol-
water solutions is often given as percent by volume. For example, a 95% solution of
ethyl alcohol contains 95 mL ethyl alcohol in each 100 mL solution.

volume of solute
Percent by volume = X 100%
volume of solution

Example:
Rubbing alcohol is an aqueous solution containing 70% isopropyl
alcohol by volume. How would you prepare 250 mL rubbing alcohol
from pure isopropyl alcohol?

Solution
We know that 70% of the volume is isopropyl alcohol:
To prepare the solution, enough water is added to 175 mL isopropyl
alcohol to form 250 mL solution.:

Because the density of liquids changes slightly as the temperature changes, a

concentration given in percent by mass is accurate over a wider range of temperatures
than is a concentration given in percent by volume. Sometimes a combination of mass
and volume is used to express the concentration--the mass of solute dissolved in each
100 mL solution. Using this method, a 5% (wt/vol) solution of sodium chloride
contains 5 g sodium chloride in each 100 mL solution.

C. Concentration in Parts per Million (ppm) and Parts per

Billion (ppb) The terms (ppm) and parts per billion (ppb) are encountered more
and more frequently as we become aware of the effects of substances present in trace
amounts in water and air, and as we develop instruments sensitive enough to detect
substances present in such low concentrations. In discussing mass, parts per million
means concentration in grams per 106 grams, or micrograms per gram. In discussing
volume, parts per million may mean milliliters per cubic meter, or the mixed
designation of milligrams per cubic meter. For parts per billion, the general trend is
toward the use of micrograms per liter when discussing water contaminants,
micrograms per cubic meter for air, and micrograms per kilogram for soil
concentrations.

D. Concentration in Terms of Moles

The concentration of a solution may be stated as molarity (M), which is the number of
moles of solute per liter of solution or the number of millimoles (mmol) (1 millimole
= 10-3 mole) per milliliter of solution.

Molarity moles solute millimoles

= =
(M) solute
 volume (liter)
solution milliliter
solution
A 6 M (say "six molar") solution of hydrochloric acid contains 6 mol hydrochloric
acid in 1 L solution.

The molarity of a solution gives a ratio between moles of solute and volume of
solution. It can be used as a conversion factor between these two units in calculations
involving solutions. As a conversion factor, it can be used two ways:

1. Moles/volume (L) states the number of moles in one liter of solution. This
conversion factor is used in calculating the number of moles of solute in a
given volume of solution.
2. Volume (L)/moles states that one liter contains some number of moles of
solution. This conversion factor is used to calculate the volume of a solution
that contains a given quantity of solute.

Example:
How many moles of hydrochloric acid are in 200 mL of 0.15 M
HCl?

Solution
Wanted:

? mol HCl

Given

200 mL of 0.15 M HCl

Conversion Factors

Equation

Answer

0.30 mol HCl

Note that, each time the volume of a solution is stated, the

concentration of the solution is given. This form may look
confusing, but without this marking it is easy to forget which
solution you are referring to.

Example:
What mass of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is needed to prepare 100 ML
of 0.125 M sodium hydroxide?

Solution
Wanted:

? g NaOH

Given

100 mL of 0.125 M NaOH

Conversion Factors

1 L of 0.125 M NaOH contains 0.125 mol NaOH- that is,

Equation

Answer

0.500 g NaOH
Example:
What volume of 3.25 M sulfuric acid is needed to prepare 0.500 L of 0.130 M H2SO4?

Solution
We are to prepare 0.500 L of 0.130 M H2SO4 by adding an amount of water to an amount
of 3.25 M H2SO4. The moles of sulfuric acid in the final (more dilute) solution will be the
same as the moles of sulfuric acid in the portion of the more concentrated solution. We can
calculate the moles of sulfuric acid in the final dilute solution:

This answer gives the moles of acid needed. We can calculate the volume of 3.25 M
H2SO4that would contain 0.065 mol H2SO4.

This answer gives the volume of concentrated acid that conatins the moles of acid needed
for the dilute solution. This volume of 3.25 M H2SO4 would be dissolved in 480 mL (500
mL - 20 mL) water to prepare 0.500 L of 0.130 M H2SO4. This problem is diagramed in the
figure.
Example:
What volume of 6.39 M sodium chloride contains 51.2 mmol sodium chloride?

Solution
Wanted
? mL of 6.39 M NaCl

Given
51.2 mmol NaCl

Conversion factors
1 L of 6.39 M NaCl contains 6.39 mol NaCl
1 mL of 6.39 M NaCl contains 6.39 mmol NaCl

Equation

Answer
8.01 mL of 6.39 M NaCl
Example:
How do we prepare 75.0 mL of 0.96 M sulfuric acid from 18 M acid?

Solution
We are to prepare 75.0 mL of 0.96 M sulfuric aicd by diluting 18 M sulfuric acid with
water. We can calculate the millimoles of sulfuric acid in the final solution:

We can calculate the volume of 18 M ? mmol H2SO4 that will contain 72 mmol H2SO4:

The solution would be prepared by adding 4.0 mL of 18 M H2SO4 to about 50 mL of

water and then dilutint that solution to exactly 75.0 mL.

Table 11.3 lists several of the commonly used ways of expressing concentrations.

TABLE 11.3 Common units of concentration

Solute Solvent Solution Comments

Percent by weight ?g +?g 100 g accurate, independent of temperature

used when solute is liquid;

Percent by volume ? mL + ? mL 100 mL concentration varies slightly with
tenperature
used when solute is liquid;
Percent,
?g + 100 mL concentration varies slightly with
weight/volume
tenperature
Molarity (M) moles 1 liter
10-
Millimole/liter 3
mole
10-
Millimole/milliliter 3
1 liter

10-3 liter
} used in chemical calculations

mole

Parts per million

mg kg
(ppm)
Parts per billion
(ppb)
µg kg
} used in environmental studies

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A solution has a concentration of 1.25g/L.

What is its concentration in ppm?

a. Convert the mass in grams to a mass in milligrams:

1.25g = 1.25 x 1000mg = 1250mg
 b. Re-write the concentration in mg/L = 1250mg/L = 1250ppm
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What mass in milligrams of potassium nitrate is present in 0.25 kg of a 500 ppm aqueous
solution of KNO3?

1. Write an equation representing the ppm concentration:

ppm = mass solute (mg) ÷ mass solution (kg)

2. Re-arrange this equation to find the mass of solute:

mass solute (mg) = ppm × mass solution (kg)

3. Extract the data from the question:

concentration = 500 ppm = 500 mg/kg

mass of solute (KNO3) = 0.25 kg

4. Substitute in the values and solve:

mass KNO3 = 500 mg/kg × 0.25 kg = 125 mg

A solution has a concentration of 1.25 g L-1.

What is its concentration in ppm?

1. Convert the mass in grams to a mass in milligrams:

1.25 g = 1.25 × 1000 mg = 1250 mg

2. Re-write the concentration in mg L-1

concentration in mg L-1 = 1250 mg L-1 = 1250 ppm

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