SOLUTIONS

EXPRESSING CONCENTRATIONS
OF SOLUTIONS
 Mass Percentage (w/w)
• Definition: Mass of solute in 100g of solution
• Formula: Mass % = (Mass of component / Total mass of solution) × 100
• Example: 10% aqueous solution of glucose
• Application: Commonly used in industrial chemical applications
 Volume Percentage (v/v)
• Definition: Volume of solute in 100mL of solution
• Formula: Volume % = (Volume of component / Total volume of solution)
× 100
• Example: 10% ethanol solution in water
• Application: Commonly used for solutions containing liquids
How will you make a
10% (V/V) ethanol
solution with water?

Therefore, to make a 10% solution using 10 mL

pure ethanol, you would have to add an equivalent
90% of pure water.
Assuming the total volume to be X, from the
percentage of ethanol
10 x X /100 = 10 => X = 100 mL
Now, 90 % of 100 mL = 90 mL which is the
amount of water required.
 Mass by Volume Percentage (w/v)
• Definition: Mass of solute in 100mL of solution
• Formula: Mass/volume % = (Mass of component / Total volume of
solution) × 100
• Application: Commonly used in medicine and pharmacy
 Parts per Million (ppm)
• Definition: Concentration of trace solutes in million parts of solution
• Formula: ppm = (Number of parts of component / Total number of parts of
all components) × 10^6
• Application: Suitable for expressing very small concentrations
• Variations: Mass to mass, volume to volume, and mass to volume
expressions
What is the formula to calculate parts per million
(ppm)?
ppm = (Number of parts of component / Total number of parts of all components) × 10^6
ppm = Number of parts of component / Total number of parts of all components
ppm = Number of parts of component × Total number of parts of all components * 10^6
A. ppm = Number of parts of component / Total number of parts of all components / 10^6

Answer

Correct answer: A
The concentration of pollutants in water or atmosphere
is expressed in terms of μg/mL or ppm

The FDA has set

a limit of 1 part
per million of
mercury in fish
for human
consumption
Understanding Mole Fraction (χ) in
Solutions
 Molarity (M):

Molality (m):

For example, 1 molal (m) solution of KCl means that 1 mol (74.5 g) of
KCl is dissolved in 1 kg of water.
 INDEPENDENT DEPENDENT ON
OF TEMPERATURE
TEMPERATURE • Molarity
• Mass percentage • Mass by volume
WHY • ppm (in terms of
mass)
percentage
• Volume percentage

? • Mole fraction
• molality

This is because volume depends on temperature and the mass does not.
Types of solutions