Biochemical Calculations: BCH-231

[WEIGHTS & CONCENTRATIONS]

Solute: A solute is a substance that is dissolved by a solvent. Solvent: A solvent is the medium in which the substance is dissolved. Solution: Solution is a uniform mixture of solute and solvent. For example sugar dissolved in
water.

Aqueous Solution: The solution in which the solvent is water. Dilute Solution: When the ratio of solute to solvent is very small. Concentrated Solution: When the ratio of solute to solvent is large. Saturated Solution: The solution with maximum amount of solute. If more solute is added it will
separate and sink to bottom.

CONCENTRATION OF A SOLUTION

Weight of solute per volume of solution: Also known as w/v concentration.

The solution is prepared by dissolving a known weight of solute in a known volume of solvent. Units of Weight Weight Kilogram Gram Milligram Microgram Nanogram Examples: 1g = 103 mg 103 103 ng 10 103 ng 5 10-3 g 10-3 10-3 = = = = 106 ng 10000 ng 0.005 g 10-6 g = 105 ng 10-9 g =100000 ng Symbol Kg g mg g ng Conversion (big to small) 1 103 103 103 103 Conversion (small to big) 10-3 10-3 10-3 10-3 1

1 mg = 10 g = 5 ng 1 g 1 ng = = =

10-3 10-3 x 10-3 100 103 ng =

100 g =

Class notes by Dr. Haseeb Ahmad Khan

Biochemical Calculations: BCH-231

Units of Volume Volume Liter Milliliter Microliter nanoliter Examples: 1l = 103 103 l 10 103 l 103 nl = = = 106 l 10000 l 1000 nl 10-6 ml 10-2 ml = 0.01 ml Symbol l ml l nl Conversion (big to small) 1 103 103 103 Conversion (small to big) 10-3 10-3 10-3 1

10 ml = 1 l 1 nl = =

10-3 10-3 ml = 10 10-3 ml =

10 l =

Question:- How many grams of sodium chloride (NaCl) are required to prepare 100 ml solution of NaCl with 20 g/l concentration. Answer:20 : 1000 x : 100 (convert l to ml)

20 100 x = 1000 Question: How to prepare 1 liter solution of sugar containing 2.5 mg sugar in 100 ml of water? Answer: 2.5 : 100 x : 1000 2.5 1000 x = 100 Question: Calculate the concentration in mg/l of a solution containing 50 g of salt in 10 ml. Answer: Weight = 50 g = 50/1000 mg = 0.05 mg 0.05 : 10 x : 1000 0.05 1000 x = 10
Class notes by Dr. Haseeb Ahmad Khan

= 2g

= 25 mg

= 5 mg/l

Biochemical Calculations: BCH-231

Percent (%) concentration (w/v): The parts of solute in 100 parts of solvent. It is usually
expressed as grams of solute in 100 ml of solvent.

Question: How to prepare 50 ml of 2 % (w/v) solution of KCl? Answer: 2 g : 100 ml 2 50 x = 100 Question: A 20 % (w/v) solution of NaOH will have how many grams of NaOH in 10 ml? Answer: 20 g : 100 ml 20 10 x = 100 = 2g x g : 10 ml = 1 g (dissolve 1 g KCl in 50 ml solvent). x g : 50 ml

Molarity: Molarity is the number of moles of a solute in one liter of solution.

Mole: The formula weight of any element or compound, taken in grams is called one mole. Moles of solute Molarity (M) = Liters of solution

Units of molarity: 1 mol 1 mmol 1 mol 1 nmol = = = = 103 mmol 103 mol 103 nmol 103 pmol

Question: How many grams of solid NaOH are required to prepare 500 ml of 2 M solution. [Na = 23, O = 16, H = 1].

Answer:

Formula weight of NaOH = 23 + 16 + 1 = 40 For 2 M solution: 2 40 = 80 g per liter 80 500

For 500 ml solution

= 1000

= 40 g per 500 ml

Class notes by Dr. Haseeb Ahmad Khan

Biochemical Calculations: BCH-231

Question: How much sodium bicarbonate (HaHCO3) will be needed to prepare 200 ml of 0.1 M solution. [FW of NaHCO3 = 84].

Answer:

For 0.1 M solution

= 0.1 84 = 8.4 g/L

8.4 200 For 200 ml solution = 1000 = 1.68 g / 200 ml

Molality: Molality is the number of moles of a solute per 1000 g of solvent.

Moles of solute Molality (m) = Kilograms of solvent

Question: Calculate the molality of 28 % w/w solution of HCl in water. Answer: The solution contains 28 g HCl in 100 g solution or The solution contains 28 g HCl in (100 28 = 72 g) or water

Grams of HCl Number of moles of HCl = MW of HCl =

28 = 0.767 36.5

72 Number of kilograms of waterl = 1000 = 0.072

Moles of solute Molality (m) = Kilograms of solvent =

0.767 = 10.65 m 0.072

Question: What is the molality of a solution containing 10 g NaOH in 500 g water? Answer: Moles of NaOH = 10 40 = 0.25 Kilograms of water = 500 1000 = 0.5 Moles of NaOH Molality (m) = Kilograms of water
Class notes by Dr. Haseeb Ahmad Khan

0.25 = 0.5 = 0.5 m

Biochemical Calculations: BCH-231

Normality: The number of equivalents of a solute per liter of solution.

Equivalent weight of solute Normality (N) = Liters of solution

MW (or FW) Equivalent weight of acid = Number of replaceable H+

MW (or FW) Equivalent weight of base = Number of replaceable OH(where n = number of replaceable H+ or OH-)

N=nM

For HCl,

N=M

[the normality of molarity of HCl solution are same].

For H2SO4

N=2M

[the normality of H2SO4 is double of its molarity; the molarity of H2SO4 is half of its normality]. For example if M = 0.01; then N = 2 0.01 = 0.02

Note: Normal solution is the solution whose normality is equal to 1.

Osmolarity: Osmolarity is the molarity of particles in a solution.

A 1 M solution of a nondissociable solute is also 1 osmolar. Whereas, a 1 M solution of dissociable solute is n osmolar, where n is the number of ions produced by solute. Osmolarity = n molarity (where n is number of ions or particles)

The significance of osmolarity is in physiological studies where tissues or cells are bathed in a solution of same osmolarity as the cytoplasm to prevent the uptake and release of water. For example, blood plasma is 0.308 osmolar, therefore RBCs are suspended in 0.308 osmolar solution of NaCl (0.154 M) to prevent them from shrinkage or swelling. The 0.154 M solution of NaCl is said to be isotonic with respect to RBC. Question: Calculate the osmolarity of 0.25 M solution of NaOH. Answer: Since NaOH dissociates into two ions Na+ and OHOsmolarity = 2 0.25
Class notes by Dr. Haseeb Ahmad Khan

= 0.50 Osmolar

Biochemical Calculations: BCH-231

Avogadros Number: Avogadros number is the number of molecules per gram mole.
Avogadros number is equal to 6.023 1023.

Question: How many molecules of water will be present in 5 g of water. Answer: Molecular weight of water = 18, which is equal to 1 mole of water Hence 18 g of water will contain 6.023 1023 molecules of water. 5 6.023 1023 5 g of water will contain = 18 = 1.673 1023

Question: Calculate the number of molecules of NaCl present in 200 ml of 10 % solution of NaCl. Answer: Concentration of NaCl = 10 g in 100 ml water = 20 g in 200 ml Molecular weight of NaCl = 23 + 35.5 = 58.5 58.5 g of NaCl will contain 6.023 1023 molecules of NaCl 20 6.023 1023 20 g of NaCl will contain = 58.5 = 2.059 1023 molecules

Ionic Strength: Ionic strength is the measure of concentration of charges in solution.

Ionic strength = Mi Zi2 Where Mi is the molarity of the ion and Zi is the net charge on the ion.

Question: Calculate the ionic strength of a 0.02 M solution of Fe2(SO4)3. Answer: Fe2(SO4)3 0.02 M 1 Ionic strength = 2 1 = 2 1 = 2
Class notes by Dr. Haseeb Ahmad Khan

2 Fe3+ 0.02 2 M = 0.04 M

3 SO420.02 3 M = 0.06 M

[ (0.04) (3)2 + (0.06) (-2)2 ]

[ (0.04) (9) + (0.06) (4) ]

[ 0.36 + 0.24 ]

= 0.3

Biochemical Calculations: BCH-231

Specific Gravity: Specific gravity of a liquid is the ratio of its mass in a given volume to the
mass of the same volume of water.

Mass of liquid Specific gravity of liquid = Mass of equal volume of water

Density: Density is the amount of mass per unit volume.

Mass (M) Density (D) = Volume (V) A common unit of density is g/cm3

Question: How many grams of HCl will be present in 5 ml of 30 % (w/v) solution of HCl?

Answer: 30 g : 100 ml x g : 5 ml

30 5 x = 100 Question: How many grams of HCl will be present in 5 ml of 30 % (w/w) solution of HCl? [specific gravity of solution = 1.15]. = 1.5 g HCl in 5 ml.

Answer:

30 g HCl in 100 g solution M D = V or V= D M = 1.15 100 = 86.95 ml

30 g : 86.95 ml

x g : 5 ml

30 5 x = 86.95 = 1.725 g

Class notes by Dr. Haseeb Ahmad Khan

Biochemical Calculations: BCH-231

Question: (a) How many grams of NaOH are required to prepare 500 ml of a 0.04 M solution? (b) Express the concentration of this solution in terms of N, g/l, % w/v, and osmolarity.

Answer: (a)

Formula weight of NaOH = 23 + 16 + 1 = 40 For 0.04 M solution: 0.04 40 = 1.6 g per liter 1.6 500

For 500 ml solution

= 1000

= 0.8 g per 500 ml

(b)

Concentration in terms of N NaOH contains only one OH group per molecule, hence N=M N = 0.04

Concentration in terms of g/l The solution contains 0.8 g / 500 ml, hence 1.6 g / liter

Concentration in terms of % w/v The solution contains 0.8 g NaOH in 500 ml, hence in 100 ml it would be 0.8 100 = 0.16 % 500

Concentration in terms of osmolarity The solution contains two types of particles (ions) Na+ and OHOsmolarity = number of particles molarity = 2 0.04 = 0.08 Osmolar

Class notes by Dr. Haseeb Ahmad Khan