Percent Solution Calculator

| Added in Chemistry

What is Percent Solution?

Percent solution is a way to express the concentration of a solute dissolved in a solution. It indicates how much of the total solution is made up of the dissolved substance.

How to Calculate Percent Solution

The general formula is:

[\text{Percent Solution} = \frac{\text{Amount of Solute}}{\text{Amount of Solution}} \times 100]

Types of Percent Solutions

Weight/Weight (w/w)

[\text{Percent (w/w)} = \frac{\text{Mass of Solute (g)}}{\text{Mass of Solution (g)}} \times 100]

Weight/Volume (w/v)

[\text{Percent (w/v)} = \frac{\text{Mass of Solute (g)}}{\text{Volume of Solution (mL)}} \times 100]

Volume/Volume (v/v)

[\text{Percent (v/v)} = \frac{\text{Volume of Solute (mL)}}{\text{Volume of Solution (mL)}} \times 100]

Calculation Example

To find the percent concentration of a solution containing 25 grams of salt in 500 grams of total solution:

[\text{Percent} = \frac{25}{500} \times 100 = 5%]

Common Applications

  • Pharmaceuticals: Preparing medications at specific concentrations
  • Laboratory Work: Making reagent solutions
  • Cleaning Products: Formulating disinfectants and cleaners
  • Food Industry: Preparing brines and flavor solutions

Frequently Asked Questions

There are three main types: weight/weight (w/w) using mass of both, weight/volume (w/v) using mass of solute and volume of solution, and volume/volume (v/v) using volumes of both.

For a 10% w/v solution, dissolve 10 grams of solute in enough solvent to make 100 mL of total solution. For w/w, use 10 grams of solute in 100 grams of total solution.

Percent solution expresses concentration as a percentage by mass or volume, while molarity expresses it as moles of solute per liter of solution.

Percent solutions are commonly used in pharmaceutical preparations, cleaning solutions, food science, and when exact molar concentrations are not required.