PERCENT BY VOLUME, PERCENT BY MASS and MASS/VOLUME PERCENT

(Concentration of Solution)

The concentration of a solution can be expressed as a percent – the ratio of

solute to solution. This calculation is commonly performed based on the mass of a
(m/m) or on the volume of substances (v/v).

Review on SOLUTE, SOLVENT AND SOLUTION

Solution: consists of a solute and a solvent. It is homogeneous mixture of two or more

substances
Solvent: the substance in which a solute dissolve to produce a homogeneous mixture.
Solute: the substance that dissolves in a solvent to produce a homogeneous mixture.

Solute is solid Solute is liquid

1 Analytical Chem/Instructor: Mr. Al Dellova
1. Percent by Mass or Mass Percent (% m/m) is defined as the mass of a solute
divided by the mass of a solution times 100:
Always remember: mass of solution = mass of solute + mass solvent

To find mass of solute: (%m/m) (mass of sol)

100

To find for mass of solution: (mass of solute) (100)

%m/m

EXAMPLE #1:
What is the percent-by-mass, (%m/m), concentration of sucrose in a solution made by
dissolving 7.6 g of sucrose in 83.4 g of water?

SOLUTION:
Given:
mass of solute= 7.6 g
mass of solution= 7.g + 83.4g = 90.4g
%m/m = ?
Note: mass of solution= mass of solute + mass of solution

%m/m=

= 7.6 g x 100%
90.4 g

%m/m = 8.4%

This means that the solution is made up of 8.4% sucrose and 91.6 water.

2 Analytical Chem/Instructor: Mr. Al Dellova

EXAMPLE #2:
Calculate the mass of solute in a 10% salt solution if the mass of a solution is 350
grams.
Given:
%m/m= 10%
mass of solution= 350g
mass of solute= ?

mass of solute= %m/m x mas of solution

100%

= (10%) (350 g)
100%
mass of solute = 35 g

EXAMPLE #3:
A saline solution with a mass of 355 g has 36.5 g of NaCl dissolved in it. What is the
mass/mass percent concentration of the solution?

2. Percent by Volume or Volume Percent (%v/v) is defined as the ratio of

the volume of solute that is present in a solution, relative to the volume of the solution,
as a whole.

%v/v =

To find volume of solute: (%v/v) (volume of solution)

100

To find for volume of solution: (volume of solute) (100)

%v/v

3 Analytical Chem/Instructor: Mr. Al Dellova

EXAMPLE #1:
Calculate the volume percent, %(v/v), of solute in the following solution: 20.0 mL of
methyl alcohol in enough water to give 475 mL of solution.

SOLUTION:
Given:
volume of solute= 20.0 mL
volume of solution= 475 mL
%v/v = ?

%v/v=

= 20.0 mL x 100%
475 mL

%v/v = 4.21%

This means that a solution contains 4.21 % of methyl alcohol and the 95.79 water.

EXAMPLE #2:
Describe how to prepare a 5.00% (v/v) solution with 50.0 mL of pure ethylene glycol.
SOLUTION:
Given:
%v/v= 5% (Convert to decimal 5/100= 0.05)
volume of solution= 50.0 mL
volume of solute= ?

volume solute = %v/v x volume of solution

100
= (5) (50.0mL)
100
volume solute = 2.5 mL

4 Analytical Chem/Instructor: Mr. Al Dellova

3. Mass/Volume Percent is defined as the ratio of the mass of solute that is
present in a solution, relative to the volume of the solution, as a whole.

To find for mass of solute: M/V % x Volume of solution

100
To find for volume of solution: mass of solute x 100
M/V%

EXAMPLE #1:
Normal saline solution that is used to dissolve drugs for intravenous use is 0.92%(m/v)
NaCl in water. How many grams of NaCl are required to prepare 35.0mL of normal
saline solution?

Given:

%m/v= 0.92 %
volume of solution= 35.0 mL
mass of solute=?

mass of solute = m/v % x Volume of solution

100

= (0.92) (35.0 mL)

100

mass of solute = 0.32 mL or 0.32 g NaCl

Note: 1 mL = 1 g

EXAMPLE #2
What volume of solution would be needed to deliver 3.0 mg of a drug if the
concentration of the drug in the solution was 3.5% (m/v)?

Given:
mass of solute= 3.0 mg convert this to gram by dividing 1000 = 0.003
%m/v = 3.5 %
volume of solution = ?

Note: 1 g = 1000 mg

5 Analytical Chem/Instructor: Mr. Al Dellova

volume of solution= mass of solute x 100
m/v%

= 0.003 mg x 100
3.5
volume of solution= 0.086 mL

6 Analytical Chem/Instructor: Mr. Al Dellova

Learning Activity: Percent by Mass, Percent by Volume and Mass/Volume Percent

Name: ________________________ Course and Major: _________ Score: _____

Answer the following. Show your solutions: (5 points each)

1. What is the % m/m if 8.0 g copper is added to enough zinc to produce 100 g of
an alloy?
2. You have 200g of a solution that contains 30g of hydrochloric acid (HCl), what
percentage of your solution is made up of hydrochloric acid (%m/m)?
3. If I make a solution by adding water to 75 mL of ethanol until the total volume of
the solution is 375 mL, what’s the percent by volume of ethanol in the solution?
4. How would you make 500mL of 30% vinegar in water solution?
5. If I add 16500 mL of water to 112 grams of sodium acetate, what is the percent
by mass of sodium acetate in this solution?
6. Solder flux, available at hardwood stores, contains 16 g of zinc chloride in 50 ml
of solution. The solvent is HCl (aq.). What is the percentage mass by volume of
zinc chloride in the solution?
7. If 250 g of sodium chloride is present in 3 L of solution, what is the percentage
weight by volume of sodium chloride? (Note convert L to mL)
8. How many grams of solute you need to make 200mL of a 15% salt in water
solution?

Unit of mass= gram

Unit of volume= mL
Tip: If the given all gram units that is %m/m; if all mL or L %v/v; if mL and g %m/v

7 Analytical Chem/Instructor: Mr. Al Dellova