ENVE 201-ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I

PREPARING CHEMICAL SOLUTIONS AND DILUTION

1. INTRODUCTION

To learn the concept of solution preparation and its usage which is one of the basic concepts of
chemical analysis.

2. PRINCIPLE
A variety of solutions are obtained by mixing the three physical states of the material (solid, liquid,
gas) with each other at certain ratios. Not every mixture is a solution. The solution must be clear and
completely transparent so that we can talk about it. Solutions can be colored, but they are transparent
and leave no residue on the filter paper. Each substance has a specific ability to dissolve in a solvent
(such as water). As to the solubility of a substance in a given liquid, the percentage or concentration
of the saturated solution is understood. A solution consists of at least two components, solvent and
soluble. The volume of the solution may be equal to, less than, or greater than the volume of the
solvent. However, the weight of a solution equals the sum of the weights of the solvent and the
solubility.
The units used to show the concentrations of the solutions are divided into two groups:
i. Expressed according to the mass of the solution: Density, molarity and mole fraction.
ii. Expressed according to the volume of the solution: Concentration, molarity and
normality.

3. APPARATUS
 Volumetric Flask
 Beaker
 Pipette
 Graduated Cylinder
 Stirring rod (magnet)
 Washing bottle
 Spatula
 Analytical balance
 Stirrer
 Burette
 ENVE 201-ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I

4. PROCEDURE

Solute - The substance which dissolves in a solution

Solution - A mixture of two or more pure substances. In a solution one pure substance is dissolved
in another pure substance homogenously. For example, in a sugar and water solution, the solution has
the same concentration throughout, ie. it is homogenous.
Density - The mass of a unit volume of a solution. The solution is found by dividing the volume by
volume and usually in g / ml.
Molarity - The most common unit of solution concentration is molarity (M). The molarity of a
solution is defined as the number of moles of solute per one liter of solution. Note that the unit of
volume for molarity is liters, not milliliters or some other unit.

Example: 500 mL of approximately 0.2 M NaOH using solid NaOH (NaOH MA= 40 g/mol)

Since the concentration is known to two significant figures the mass of NaOH and the volume of
solution do not need to be measured exactly. The desired mass of NaOH is 0.20 mol NaOH L× 40.0
g NaOH mol NaOH×0.50L=4.0g
To prepare the solution, place 4.0 grams of NaOH, weighed to the nearest tenth of a gram, in a bottle
or beaker and add approximately 500 mL of water.

Normality – It is the equivalent number of grams of the substance dissolved in a liter of solution.
(e.g.,1M H2SO4 = 2N H2SO4). Normality rather than aqueous solutions of acids and bases molarity.

N = Number of dissolved equivalent grams / volume of solution (V)

Number of equivalent grams = Amount of matter (m) / equivalent weight
Equivalent weight = molecular weight (MA) / effect value (e)

𝑚∗𝑒
As a result → 𝑁= → N = molarity x (e)
𝑀𝐴 ∗𝑉
 ENVE 201-ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I

(e) : The acid number of H + in the water, the number of OH- in the base, while the salt (+) or (-)
number of loads.

Example: Prepare 500 mL of 1 N H2SO4 (96%w/w sulfuric acid). d= 1.84 kg/L, MA=98 gr/mole

1,84∗0,96
𝑀= = 18𝑀 𝑁 = 18 ∗ 2 = 36 𝑁
98

𝑁1 ∗ 𝑉1 = 𝑁2 ∗ 𝑉2
1 ∗ 500 = 36 ∗ 𝑉2
V2=13.8 ml add water to bring the volume up to the final 500 mL.

Saturated Solution - A solution that contains the maximum amount of a particular solute that will
dissolve at that temperature.
Using percentage by weight (w/v)
Example: 10% NaCl solution has ten grams of sodium chloride dissolved in 100 ml of solution.

Weigh 10g of sodium chloride. Pour it into a graduated cylinder or volumetric flask containing about
80mL of water. Once the sodium chloride has dissolved completely (swirl the flask gently if
necessary), add water to bring the volume up to the final 100 mL.

Using percentage by weight/weight (w/w)

Example: Describe how you would prepare 30 g of a 20 percent (w/w) solution of KCl in water.
The weight of potassium chloride required is 20% of the total weight of the solution, or 0.2 × (30 g)
= 6.0 g of KCl. The remainder of the solution (30 – 6 = 24) g consists of water. Thus you would
dissolve 6.0 g of KCl in 24 g of water.

Using percentage by volume/volume (v/v)

Example: 2 L of 4% v/v acetic acid using concentrated glacial acetic acid (99.8% w/w acetic acid).
The concentration of this solution is only approximate so it is not necessary to measure the volumes
exactly, nor is it necessary to account for the fact that glacial acetic acid is slightly less than 100%
w/w acetic acid (it is approximately 99.8% w/w). The necessary volume of glacial acetic acid is
4mL CH3COOH 100mL×2000mL = 80mL CH3COOH
 ENVE 201-ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I

To prepare the solution, use a graduated cylinder to transfer 80 mL of glacial acetic acid to a container
that holds approximately 2 L and add sufficient water to bring the solution to the desired volume.

Preparing Solutions by Dilution - Solutions are often prepared by diluting a more concentrated
stock solution. A known volume of the stock solution is transferred to a new container and brought
to a new volume. Since the total amount of solute is the same before and after dilution, we know that
Co×Vo = Cd×Vd
where Co is the stock solution’s concentration, Vo is the volume of stock solution being diluted, Cd is
the dilute solution’s concentration, and Vd is the volume of the dilute solution. Again, the type of
glassware used to measure Vo and Vd depends on how exact the solution’s concentration must be
known.
Example: A laboratory procedure calls for 250 mL of an approximately 0.10 M solution of NH3.
Describe how you would prepare this solution using a stock solution of concentrated NH3 (14.8 M).
14.8M × Vo = 0.10M × 0.25L
and solving for Vo gives 1.69 × 10-3 liters, or 1.7 mL. Since we are making a solution that is
approximately 0.10 M NH3 we can use a graduated cylinder to measure the 1.7 mL of concentrated
NH3, transfer the NH3 to a beaker, and add sufficient water to give a total volume of approximately
250 mL.

Standardization of solutions - Standardization is the process of determining the accurate

concentration of a standard solution by titrating it against a solution of accurate concentration
with high degree of purity

Example: Preparation of N/10 H2SO4

Equivalent weight of H2SO4= 4.9 g
Specific gravity = 1.84 g/mL
So, volume of 49 g H2SO4= 2.66 mL
Concentrated H2SO4 (reagent grade) is about 97 percent pure. Therefore, actual amount of
concentrated H2SO4 required for 1.0 L of N/10 H2SO4 solution =
100∗97
= 2,742𝑚𝐿
2,66
 ENVE 201-ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY LABORATORY I

Thus, for 1.0 L of N/10 H2SO4 solution, 2.74 mL of concentrated H2SO4 is required. Take 2.74 mL
sulphuric acid in a beaker half-filled with distilled water. Transfer the contents and washings to a
volumetric flask (1 L) and make volume up to the mark.

Procedure of Standardization:
Shake well and titrate this solution with 10 mL of 0.1 N Na2CO3 using mixed / methyl orange as an
indicator. Repeat the titration to get at least three concordant readings.
Suppose 10 ml of 0.1 N Na2CO3 = 9.5 ml of H2SO4
V1 * N 1 = V2 * N2
10 x 0.1 N = 9.5 x N2
N2= 0.10526
To prepare 1 L N/10 H2SO4, the volume of 0.10526 N acid required is
1000∗0,1
= 950 𝑚𝐿.
0,10526

Take 950 mL of 0.10526 N acid and dilute it to one litre. Check it again with N/10 Na2CO3 for three
times. It must neutralize equal volume of N/10 Na2CO3 solution. Label it as 0.1 N H2SO4.