PREPARATION OF SOLUTIONS
Aim
To prepare a solution of particular concentration and to know about molarity, molality,
normality, parts per million.
Principle:
Solution: A solution is defined as a homogenous mixture of two or more substance whose
composition can vary.
Solvent: The part of the solution that is present in the largest amount or the compound that is
normally liquid in the pure state.
Solute: The substance that is dissolved in a solvent is a solute.
Concentration of the solute: It can be defined as the ratio of amount of solute and the amount of
the solvent. There are various expressing concentration of the solution. They are follows: 1)
Percentage solutions 2) Molarity 3) Molality 4) Normality 5) Parts per million.
1. Percentage solutions:
Percentage solutions are generally by weight or volume measurements.
E.g. : 50% glycerol is prepared by adding 50 ml of glycerol to 50 ml of water.
Problem 1:
Prepare 250 ml of 15% nitric acid (Liquid).
Problem 2:
Prepare 2000 ml of 40% NaOH (Solid).
Problem 3:
Prepare 750 ml of 50% ethanol (Liquid)
Problem 4:
Prepare 1 litre 20% NaCL (Solid).
2. Molarity
It is defined as the number of moles of the solute dissolved per litre of the solution.(IM =
1000mM).
E.g. : To prepare 1000ml of 0.2M solution of Tris Hcl, (Molecular weight is 121.1) 24.22g of
Tris HCL is dissolved in 1000 ml of water.
Problem 5:
Prepare 1000ml of 0.1M NaCL (Molecular weight = 58.4).
Problem 6:
Prepare 250 ml of 0.5 M MnSO 4 ( Molecular weight = 151.01).
3. Molality:
Molality is defined as number of moles of solute dissolved per 1000 gm of the solvent.
E.g. : To prepare 1 m (molal) solution of NaCL dissolved 58.4 gm of NaCL in 1000 gm of
water.
Problem 7:
Prepare 300 ml of 2m solution of KmnO 4 (Molecular weight= 158.04).
Problem 8:
Prepare 500 ml 1m sodium thiosulphate (Molecular weight= 158.11)
4. Normality:
Normality is defined as the number of gram equivalents of the solutes dissolved per litre of the
solution.
E.g. : To prepare 1N solution of sodium hydroxide 40 gm of NaOH is dissolved in 1000 ml of
water. ( Equivalent weight of NaOH = 40).
Problem 9:
Prepare 2N litres of 2n solution of NaOH.
Problem 10:
Prepare 200 ml of 0.25 n potassium hydroxide ( Equivalent weight= 56.11).
5. Parts per Million:
Parts per million is expressed as gram of a solute per million gram of solution or the gram of a
solute per million ml of the solution. For dilute solutions it is convenient to express the
concentration of the solute in terms of parts per million. Therefore 1 mg per litre is 1 ppm . one
µg per litre is expressed as parts per billion (ppb).
Mass of the component
ppm = ----------------------------------- × 106
Total mass of the solution
OR
gm or ml of the solute or substance
ppm = -------------------------------------------------- × 106
Total mass of the solution
Thus 1 ppm of the NaCLl solution in water represents
1 ppm = 1 mg NaCl/ Litre of solution
= 1 mg NaCl / 1000 ml of the solution
Problem 11:
Prepare 10 ppm solution of NaCOh.
Problem 12:
Prepare 100 – ppm solutions os MnSO 4.
6. Buffer solutions:
These are solutions, which could tolerate small changes in p H during reactions. A buffer is
usually composed of a week acid and its salt. (E.g. A solution of acetic acid and salt sodium
acetate).
Problem 13:
How will you prepare a 0.02 M buffer solution of sodium acetate with p H 5?(pka of acetic
acid is 4.75; [Link] of sodium acetate is 136.08; molarity of acetic acid is 17.4.)?
Note :
1. For strong acids external cooling is required.
2. Acid should be added to water and not vice versa.
3. Normal solutions for acids and bases are prepared with substances, which can be accurately
weighted (Primary standard – e.g. Na2 CO 3 for alkali and oxalic acid for acid).
4. Normal solutions of hygroscopic substances like NaOH should be standardized using primary
standards.
Review Questions:
1. Define: a) atomic weight b) molecular weight c) Avagadro number.
2. How will you prepare the normal solutions of acids?
3. What are buffer solutions? List down their applications.
