Concentration of a Solution

Chm081L

Cuenco, Raul Joaquin E. (2006.). Guidebook in General

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 What is a Solution

A solution is a homogeneous mixture of two or more different

substances where each substance retains its original chemical properties.
The word homogeneous means that the mixture is uniform all the way
through and no component settles down if left undisturbed. A solution has
two components—the solute and the solvent. The solvent is usually
greater in amount.

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 Concentration of a Solution

The concentration or strength of a solution is an indication of how

much solute is dissolved. There are a number of ways to express the
concentration of a solution. These are numerical in nature. The most
common of these expressions are molarity, molality, normality, mole
fraction, and percentage.

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 Molarity (M)

moles of solute
Molarity = -------------------------------------
volume of solution in liters

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 Molality (m)

moles of solute
Molality = ---------------------------------
mass of solvent in Kg

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 Normality (N)

g-eq of solute
Normality = ------------------------------------
volume of solution in liters

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 Gram equivalent of solute

.
wt of solute
g-eq of solute = -------------------------------------------
equivalent weight of solute (EW)

The EW of solute is obtained by dividing MW of solute by the total + charge. The total + charge is
obtained by multiplying the oxidation number of the first element in the formula of the solute with its
subscript.

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 Percent by weight or mass percent

wt of solute
Percent by weight = -------------------------- x 100
wt of solution

Cuenco, Raul Joaquin E. (2006.). Guidebook in General

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 Percent by volume or volume percent

volume of solute
Percent by volume = -------------------------- x 100
volume of solution

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Cuenco, Raul Joaquin E. (2006.). Guidebook in General
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Chemistry 1. C & E Publishing, Inc.
 Mole fraction (X)

moles [Link]
Xsolute = ---------------------------------------------
moles of solute + moles of solvent

moles of solvent
Xsolvent = ---------------------------------------------
moles of solute + moles of solvent

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 Sample Problem 1

A 270-mL solution of phosphoric acid contains 130.1 g of hydrogen phosphate, H3PO4, in

202.9 g of water. Calculate for the solution’s

A. density,

B. mole fraction of H3PO4,

C. molarity,

D. normality, and

E. molality.

Cuenco, Raul Joaquin E. (2006.). Guidebook in General

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Cuenco, Raul Joaquin E. (2006.). Guidebook in General
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Chemistry 1. C & E Publishing, Inc.
 Solution to Problem 1


mass of solution
ρ of solution = ------------------------
volume of solution

130.1 g + 202.9 g
= -------------------------
270 mL

ρ of solution = 1.2 g/mL

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
Sample Problems 145
molecular weight of H3PO4:
wt
H=3x 1 u = 3 u η = --------
P = 1 x 31 u = 31 u MW
O = 4 x 16 u = 64 u
------------------------------
sum = 98 u 130.1 g
η of H3PO4 = ------------ = 1.3 mol
98 g/mol
molecular weight of H2O:

H=2x 1u = 2u
202.9 g
O = 1 x 16 u = 16 u η of H2O = --------------- = 11.3 mol
------------------------------- 18 g/mol
sum = 18 u

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 moles of H3PO4
X of H3PO4 = ------------------------------------------------
moles of H3PO4: + moles of H2O

1.3 mol
X of H3PO4 = --------------------------- = 0.1
(1.3 + 11. 3) mol

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C
moles of H3PO4
M = ------------------------------------
volume of solution in liters

1.3 mol
= -------------
0.27 L

M = 4.8 mol/L or “molar”

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D
The oxidation number of H in H3PO4 is +1, therefore, the total
positive charge is 3 (+1 multiplied by the subscript of H).

98 g/mol
EW of H3PO4 = --------------------------- = 32.67 g/g-eq
g-eq of H3PO4
3 g-eq/mol
Normality = ------------------------------------
volume of solution in liters

wt of H3PO4 3.982 g-eq

g-eq of H3PO4 = ------------------------- = --------------------------
EWof H3PO4 0.27 L

130.1 g Normality = 14.7 g-eq/L or “normal”

= --------------------------
32.67 g/g-eq

g-eq of H3PO4 = 3.982

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
moles of solute
Molality = ---------------------------------
mass of solvent in Kg

1.3 mol
= ------------------
0.2029 Kg

Molality = 6.4 mol/Kg or “molal”

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 Sample Problem 2
2. A saturated solution of KOH at 15 °C is 11.1 M and has a density of
1.5355 g/mL. Find the % KOH by weight?

Alternative Solution 1
Consider 100.0-g solution of KOH.
mass of solution
volume of solution = -----------------------
ρ of solution

100.0 g
= -----------------
1.5355 g/ mL

volume of solution = 65.13 mL or 0.06513 L

wt of KOH = M x volume of solution in liters x MW of KOH

= 11.1 mol/L x 0.06513 L x 56 g/mol

wt of KOH = 40.48 g

The % by weight is numerically equal to the weight of KOH in a

100.0-g solution. Therefore the % KOH by weight is 40.48.

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Alternative Solution 2
Consider a liter solution of KOH.
wt of KOH = M x volume of solution in liters x MW of KOH

= 11.1 mol/L x 1 L x 56 g/mol

wt of KOH = 621.6 g

wt of solution = ρ of solution x volume of solution

= 1.5355 g/mL x 1000 mL

wt of solution = 1,535.5 g

wt of KOH
% KOH by wt = -------------------------- x 100
wt of solution

621.6 g
= --------------------------- x 100
535.5 g

% KOH by wt = 40.48

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 Sample Problem 3

2. A solution is labeled 10 g of ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH) per 100 mL of

H2O. If the density of ethyl alcohol is 0.79 g/mL, what is the volume
percent of C2H5OH in the solution?

Cuenco, Raul Joaquin E. (2006.). Guidebook in General

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Solution
mass of ethyl alcohol
volume of ethyl alcohol = -----------------------------
ρ of ethyl alcohol

10 g
= ---------------------
0.79 g/mL

volume of ethyl alcohol = 12.7 mL

volume of solution = 12.7 mL + 100 mL = 112.7 mL

(Note: The volume of solution is obtained by assuming that

volumes can be added.)

volume of solute
% C2H5OH by vol = -------------------------- x 100
volume of solution

12.7 mL
= -------------------------- x 100
112.7 mL

% C2H5OH by vol = 11.3

Cuenco, Raul Joaquin E. (2006.). Guidebook in General

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