Topic 3b: Concentration

Monday 13th of April 2020

3.2.1) Concentrations
What is Concentration

Lots of reactions take place between substances that are dissolved in a solvent. The
amount of a substance is a certain volume of a solution is called its concentration. The
more solute there is in a given volume. The more concentrated the solution.

Calculating Concentration in Terms of Mass

One way to calculate the concentration of a solution is by working out the mass of a
substance in a given solution.

Mass of Solute(g)
Concentration ( g/dm3 )=
Volume of Solution(dm3 )

What’s the concentration in g/dm3 if a solution of NaCl where 30g of NaCl is dissolved
in 0.20dm3 of water?

m 30
c= = =150 g /dm 3
v 0.20

Finding the Mass of a Solute in a Solution

You can rearrange the earlier equation to calculate the mass of a solute in a given
volume of a solution.

What’s the mass of Copper Chloride in 20cm2 of an 80g/dm3 solution of CuCl?

20 cm3=0.020 dm3

m=cv=80 ×0.020=1.6 g
 Topic 3b: Concentration

Monday 13th of April 2020

Uncertainties in Measurements

All measurements have an uncertainty to them. Experiments will often be repeated and
then a mean will be used.

To work out the range of uncertainty you have to find out both the mean and the range.
You then have to halve the range.

A student carries out an investigation to find the volume of a solution needed to

neutralise an acid. She repeats it 4 times. Using her results from below work out the
possible range of

uncertainties.

15.2+15.0+14.9+15.3
Mean Volume= =15.1cm 3
4

Range=15.3−14.9=0.4 c m3

0.4
=0.2 c m 3
2

Range of Uncertanties :15.1 ±0.2 c m3