If you're working in a chemistry lab, it's essential to know how to calculate a dilution.
Serial Dilution Calculator: This calculation is useful when make a solution of lower concentration from its higher concentration solution while the solution units of the stock and dilute are the same, e.g. Both in copies/mL, mg/L. A dilution series is a succession of step dilutions, each with the same dilution factor, where the diluted material of the previous step is used to make the subsequent dilution. This is how standard curves for ELISA can be made. To make a dilution series, use the following formulas: Move Volume = Final Volume /. Oct 08, 2013 A serial dilution is a series of sequential dilutions used to reduce a dense culture of cells to a more usable concentration. Each dilution will reduce the concentration of bacteria by a specific.
Review of Dilution, Concentration, and Stock Solutions
A dilution is a solution made by adding more solvent to a more concentrated solution (stock solution), which reduces the concentration of the solute. An example of a dilute solution is tap water, which is mostly water (solvent), with a small amount of dissolved minerals and gasses (solutes).
An example of a concentrated solution is 98 percent sulfuric acid (~18 M). The primary reason you start with a concentrated solution and then dilute it to make a dilution is that it's very difficult—and sometimes impossible—to accurately measure solute to prepare a dilute solution, so there would be a large degree of error in the concentration value.
Use the law of conservation of mass to perform the calculation for the dilution:
MdilutionVdilution = MstockVstock
Dilution Example
As an example, say you need to prepare 50 milliliters of a 1.0 M solution from a 2.0 M stock solution. Your first step is to calculate the volume of stock solution that is required.
MdilutionVdilution = MstockVstock
(1.0 M)(50 ml) = (2.0 M)(x ml)
x = [(1.0 M)(50 ml)]/2.0 M
x = 25 ml of stock solution
To make your solution, pour 25 ml of stock solution into a 50 ml volumetric flask. Dilute it with solvent to the 50 ml line.
How To Calculate Dilutions
Avoid This Common Dilution Mistake
Serial Dilution Table
It's a common mistake to add too much solvent when making the dilution. Make sure you pour the concentrated solution into the flask and then dilute it to the volume mark. Do not, for example, mix 250 ml of concentrated solution with 1 liter of solvent to make a 1-liter solution.