CONCENTRATION
OF SOLUTIONS
What is a solution?
In chemistry, a solution is a homogenous mixture
composed of two or more substances. In such a mixture,
a solute is dissolved in another substance, known as a
solvent. A common example is a solid, such as salt or
sugar, dissolved in water, a liquid.
A mixture is a substance made by combining two or
more different materials in such a way that no chemical
reaction occurs. The objects do not bond together in a
mixture. A mixture can usually be separated back into its
original components. Some examples of Mixtures are oil,
ocean water and soil.
Types of Mixtures
Solutions are homogeneous mixtures of
two or more substances in a single phase.
Soluble describes a substance as
capable of being dissolved.
Solvent is the dissolving medium in a
solution.
Solute is the substance that is dissolved
in a solution.
Types of Solutions
Solutions can be in any of
the three common physical
states.
➢solid- a mixture of metals
called an alloy
➢liquid- salt water, sugar
water, Kool-Aid…
➢gas- the atmosphere
Suspensions & Colloids
A suspension has large
particles that settle out of a
solvent. eg. muddy water
A colloid has intermediate
size particles. Also called an
emulsion or a foam.
Solutes:
electrolytes vs. nonelectrolytes
An electrolyte is a substance that
dissolves in water to give a
solution that conducts electricity.
A nonelectrolyte is a substance
that dissolves in water to give a
solution that does NOT conduct
electricity.
The Solution Process
Factors that affect the rate of solution (how quickly a
substance dissolves):
Any process that increases the number of contacts
between the solvent and the solute will increase the
solution rate.
increasing the surface area of the solute
agitating (shaking or stirring) the solution
heating the solvent
Solution equilibrium is the physical state in which the
Solutions
opposing processes of dissolution and crystallization occur
at equal rates.
A saturated solution contains the maximum amount of
dissolved solute.
An unsaturated solution contains less than the maximum
amount of dissolved solute.
A supersaturated solution contains more dissolved solute
than a saturated solution.
Solubility is a measurement of how much solute will dissolve in a specific
Solubility
amount of solvent at a specific temperature to make a saturated solution.
“Likes dissolve likes”- polar solvents dissolve polar solutes & nonpolar
solvents dissolve nonpolar solutes.
Hydrationis the solution process with water as the solvent.
Hydrates are ionic compounds that have formed crystals that have
incorporated water molecules in their structure.
Immiscible liquids are not soluble in one another. eg. oil & water
Miscible liquids dissolve freely in one another in any proportion. eg. water
& alcohol
Solubility
Increasing the pressure has no effect on the solubility of a solid in a liquid but does
increase the solubility of gases in a liquid.
Increasing temperature often increases the solubility of a solid in a liquid but decreases
the solubility of a gas in a liquid.
Henry’s Law states that the solubility of a gas in a liquid is directly proportional to the
partial pressure of the gas on the surface of the liquid.
Effervescence is the rapid escape of a gas from a liquid in which the gas is dissolved.
A solvated solute particle is surrounded by solvent molecules.
Enthalpy of solution is the amount of heat absorbed by a solution when a specific
amount of solute dissolves in a solvent.
•The amount of solute present in a
solution is described by its
concentration.
•Concentration is an intensive property
as it represents the proportion of a
substance with respect to the whole
solution.
•Concentration often expresses the ratio
of the amount of the solute to the
amount of the solution, but sometimes it
is also expressed with respect to the
amount of the solvent.
Molarity, M
● The concentration of aqueous solutions are
usually expressed in molarity (M), defined as
the number of moles of the solute dissolved in
one liter of the solution.
● Molarity has a unit of M (read as molar), which
can be expressed as mol/L.
13
Key Formulas
Concept Formula Description
Use this formula to
Molarity
solve for molarity if
the amount of solute
where
and the volume of
● M is concentration in molarity solution are given.
(M);
● nsolute is the amount of solute
in moles (mol), and
● vsolution is the volume of
solution in liters (L).
14
A brine solution that is used in pickling
contains 235 g of pure sodium
chloride, NaCl(s), dissolved in 3.00 L of
solution. What is the molar
concentration of the sodium
chloride?
Given:
Find:
Computation:
Key Formulas
Concept Formula Description
Use this formula to
Molality
solve for molality if
the amount of solute
where
and the mass of
● m is concentration in molality solvent are given.
(m);
● nsolute is the amount of solute
in moles (mol), and
● msolvent is the mass of solvent
in kilograms (kg).
16
Determine the molality
if 190 g of CuSO4 are
placed in 3500 g of
water.
Given:
Find:
Computation:
Let’s Practice!
Calculate the molarity of a 2 L
solution prepared by dissolving
15 moles of glucose in enough
water.
18
Let’s Practice!
Calculate the molality of a
solution prepared by
dissolving 8 moles of rock salt
in 20 kg of water.
19
Tips
Molarity (M) and molality (m) have
the same term in the numerator.
Remember that the denominator
term in molarity is the volume of
solution in liters, while that in
molality is the mass of solvent in
kilograms.
20
Let’s Sum It Up!
● Molarity (M) is defined as the number of moles
of the solute dissolved in one liter of the solution.
● Molality (m) is defined as the number of moles
of solute dissolved in one kilogram of the solvent.
21
Try It!
Calculate the amount of sodium
phosphate (Na3PO4), in moles, to be
added to 30 kg water to form a 2.5 molal
solution of aqueous Na3PO4.
Calculate the amount of potassium
acetate (KCH3COO), in moles, to be added
to enough water to produce 0.250 L of a
1.5 molar solution of aqueous KCH3COO.
22
Let’s Sum It Up!
● The mole fraction of a component i (𝜒i) is the
number of moles of component i divided by the
total number of moles of all the components in
the solution.
● A ppm refers to “a portion out of one million”. It is
calculated by dividing the mass of the solute by
the mass of the solution with similar units and
multiplying by 106.
23
Key Formulas
Concept Formula Description
Use this formula to
Mole Fraction
solve for the mole
where fraction of a
● 𝜒i is mole fraction of component in a
component i; solution.
● ni is the number of
moles of component
i, and
● ntotal is the total
number of moles of
all components.
24
Let’s Practice!
What is the mole fraction of
glucose in a solution that
contains 0.50 moles of glucose
and 2.50 moles of water?
25
Let’s Practice!
What is the mole fraction
of ethanol in a solution
that contains 25 g
ethanol and 75 g water?
26
Key Formulas
Concept Formula Description
Use this formula to
PPM
solve for the
where concentration of a
● msolute is the mass of the solute solution in unit ppm.
(g), and
● msolution is the mass of the
solution (g).
27
Let’s Practice!
What is the concentration of
a solution, in parts per
million, if 0.01 gram of NaCl
is dissolved in 1000 grams of
solution?
28
Let’s Practice!
What is the concentration of a
solution, in parts per million, if
25 micrograms of RbOH is
dissolved to make 750
milligrams of solution?
29
Try It!
(1) If 100 L of a gas mixture over a
metropolitan area contains 0.0060 L of
CO, what is the concentration in ppm
of CO present?
(2) A solution is prepared by dissolving
4g of NaOH in 100 g of water.
Calculate the mole fraction of NaOH?
30
Key Formulas
Concept Formula Description
Use this formula to
Percentage by
solve for percentage
Mass
by mass if the mass of
where
solute and the mass of
● % m/m is percentage
solution are given.
by mass.
● Percentage by mass (% m/m), also known as mass percent or
weight percent (% w/w), is defined as the mass of solute per
mass of the solution.
31
Let’s Practice!
Calculate the concentration
of a solution in percentage
by mass prepared by
dissolving 12 g of NaCl to
produce 50 g of the solution.
32
A solution is prepared by
dissolving 10g of glucose,
C6H12O6, in 100g of water. What
is the percentage by mass of
glucose in a solution?
Given:
Find:
Computation:
Try It!
Calculate the concentration
of sodium hydroxide
(NaOH), in percentage per
mass, in a solution
prepared by dissolving 22 g
of NaOH with 53 g of water.
34
Key Formulas
Concept Formula Description
Use this formula to
Percentage by
solve for percentage
Mass per Volume
by mass per volume if
where
the mass of solute and
● % m/v is percentage
the volume of solution
by mass per volume.
are given.
● Percentage by mass per volume (% m/v), also known
as the percentage by weight per volume (% w/v), is
defined as the mass of solute per volume of the solution.
35
Let’s Practice!
Calculate the mass of sodium
acetate (NaCH3COO), in grams,
needed to be dissolved in water
to produce a 150 mL solution
with a concentration of 20 %
m/v. 36
Try It! Calculate the mass of
potassium nitrate (KNO3),
in grams, needed to be
dissolved in water to
produce a 1000 mL
solution with a
concentration of 15 % m/v. 37
Key Formulas
Concept Formula Description
Use this formula to
Percentage by
solve for percentage
Volume
by mass if the volume
where
of solute and the
● % v/v is percentage by
volume of solution are
volume.
given.
● Percentage by volume (% v/v), also known as volume
percent is defined as the volume of solute per volume
of the solution. 38
Let’s Practice!
Calculate the concentration of
ethanol, in percentage per volume, in
a solution prepared by dissolving 11
mL of ethanol with 10 mL of water.
39
Try It!
Calculate the concentration
of a solution in percentage
by volume prepared by
dissolving 10 mL of acetone
to produce 100 mL of the
solution.
40
Alcohol Proof
● Proof is a commonly used unit for alcohol concentration. It
is mathematically defined as two times the percentage by
volume of the alcohol in the solution.
41
15 mL of alcohol is mixed
with 85 mL of water. Find
(a) volume percent and
(b) proof of the solution.
Given:
Find:
Computation:
