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Molarity and Solution Concentration Explained

Jun 5, 2025

Understanding Molarity and Solution Concentration

Key Concepts

  • Molarity: A measure of the concentration of a solution, defined as the number of moles of solute per liter of solution (moles/L).
  • Equation:
    • Molarity ( = \frac{\text{moles of solute}}{\text{liters of solution}} )

Using Molarity to Solve Problems

  • Basic Equations:
    1. Molarity ( = \frac{\text{moles}}{\text{liters}} )
    2. Moles ( = \text{molarity} \times \text{liters} )
    3. Liters ( = \frac{\text{moles}}{\text{molarity}} )

Problem-Solving Strategies

  • To Find Moles:

    • Use the equation: ( \text{moles} = \text{molarity} \times \text{liters} )
    • Example: For a 2.5 M solution with a volume of 500 mL (0.5 L), the moles of solute ( = 2.5 \times 0.5 = 1.25 \text{ moles} ).
  • To Find Volume:

    • Use the equation: ( \text{liters} = \frac{\text{moles}}{\text{molarity}} )
    • Example: For a solution made from 0.65 moles with a desired molarity of 1.8 M, ( \text{volume} = \frac{0.65}{1.8} = 0.361 \text{ liters} ) or 361 mL.

Conclusion

  • Interrelationship: Molarity, moles, and volume are interconnected, allowing calculation of one if the other two are known.
  • Useful Tool: Molarity serves as a versatile tool for quantifying solution concentration and facilitates straightforward calculations using algebra and arithmetic.