Concentration in Chemistry – Detailed Notes with Calculations
Concentration is a measure of the amount of solute present in a given quantity of solvent or
solution. It is an important concept in chemistry, used to express how much of a substance
is dissolved in a specific volume or mass of solvent. There are different ways to express
concentration, including molarity, molality, mass percent, normality, and more.
1. Molarity (M)
Molarity (M) is defined as the number of moles of solute per liter of solution. It is one of the
most commonly used units of concentration in chemistry.
Formula:
M = moles of solute / liters of solution
Example 1: Finding Molarity
Q: What is the molarity of a solution prepared by dissolving 20 g of NaOH in 250 mL of
solution?
Solution:
1. Find moles of NaOH:
- Molar mass of NaOH = (23.0 + 16.0 + 1.0) = 40.0 g/mol
- Moles of NaOH = 20.0 g / 40.0 g/mol = 0.500 moles
2. Convert volume to liters: 250 mL = 0.250 L
3. Find molarity: M = 0.500 / 0.250 = 2.00 M
Answer: The molarity of NaOH solution is 2.00 M.
2. Molality (m)
Molality (m) is defined as the number of moles of solute per kilogram of solvent. Unlike
molarity, molality is independent of temperature since it is based on mass rather than
volume.
Formula:
m = moles of solute / kilograms of solvent
Example 2: Finding Molality
Q: What is the molality of a solution containing 10 g of urea (CO(NH₂)₂) dissolved in 200 g of
water?
Solution:
1. Find moles of urea: Molar mass = 60.0 g/mol, Moles = 10.0 / 60.0 = 0.167 moles
2. Convert solvent mass to kg: 200 g = 0.200 kg
3. Find molality: m = 0.167 / 0.200 = 0.835 m
Answer: The molality of the solution is 0.835 m.
3. Mass Percent (% w/w)
Mass percent is the mass of solute divided by the total mass of solution, multiplied by 100. It
is commonly used in industries and pharmaceutical solutions.
Formula:
% w/w = (mass of solute / total mass of solution) × 100
Example 3: Finding Mass Percent
Q: A solution contains 25 g of NaCl in 225 g of water. What is the mass percent of NaCl?
Solution:
1. Total mass of solution: 25 + 225 = 250 g
2. Find mass percent: (25 / 250) × 100 = 10.0%
Answer: The mass percent of NaCl is 10.0% w/w.
4. Normality (N)
Normality (N) is the number of equivalents of solute per liter of solution. It is often used in
acid-base and redox reactions.
Formula:
N = M × equivalents
Example 4: Normality of H₂SO₄
Q: What is the normality of 0.75 M sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄)?
Solution: H₂SO₄ releases 2 H⁺ ions per molecule, so: N = 0.75 × 2 = 1.50 N
Answer: The normality of H₂SO₄ solution is 1.50 N.
5. Dilution
Dilution is the process of decreasing the concentration of a solution by adding more solvent.
The relationship between initial and final concentration and volume is given by:
Formula:
M₁V₁ = M₂V₂
Example 5: Dilution of a Solution
Q: How much water must be added to 100 mL of 2.0 M HCl to dilute it to 0.5 M?
Solution:
(2.0 M)(100 mL) = (0.5 M)(V₂)
V₂ = (2.0 × 100) / 0.5 = 400 mL
Amount of water to add: 400 - 100 = 300 mL
Answer: Add 300 mL of water.
6. Parts Per Million (ppm)
ppm is used to express very dilute concentrations, often in environmental and biological
applications.
Formula:
ppm = (mass of solute / mass of solution) × 10⁶
Example 6: Calculating ppm
Q: A solution contains 0.005 g of lead (Pb) in 250 g of water. What is the concentration in
ppm?
Solution: ppm = (0.005 / 250) × 10⁶ = 20 ppm
Answer: The concentration is 20 ppm.
7. Mole Fraction (χ)
Mole fraction is the ratio of the number of moles of one component to the total number of
moles in the mixture.
Formula:
χ_A = moles of A / total moles of all components
Example 7: Finding Mole Fraction
Q: A solution contains 2 moles of ethanol (C₂H₅OH) and 8 moles of water (H₂O). Find the
mole fraction of ethanol.
Solution: Total moles = 2 + 8 = 10, Mole fraction of ethanol = 2 / 10 = 0.20
Answer: The mole fraction of ethanol is 0.20.
