When preparing a standard solution, usually a chemist will have calculated the mass of primary standard required (as you have done earlier in this module). However, it is common that the chemist is not careful to weigh exactly this amount. This is because for most purposes it does not matter whether the concentration is exactly, for example 0.1000
, provided that the concentration of the standard solution is known precisely.
volumetric flask |
The
concentration of a solution indicates the
quantity of solute (substance dissolved) in a particular
volume of solution.
Chemists often use amount in moles (
n) and volume (
V) of the solution in
to give the concentration unit
. This is in an equation at the right.
is read moles per
. Per means “divide by”; thus saying the unit reminds you that concentration equals amount in moles divided by volume.
What is V for my standard solution?
This is the volume of the volumetric flask in
.
These volumes are usually given in
(like 250
).
To convert to
this volume in
is multiplied by 10
–3.
What is n for my standard solution?
n is the
amount in moles (This is a measure of the number of formula units of substance present in a given mass of the substance (6.02 × 1023 formula units in 1 mol). Chemists use amount in moles because the amounts in moles of two different substances that appear in a chemical equation are related.) of solute that you dissolved.
You have measured the mass (
m) of the solute.
The amount in moles* of solute (
n) can be calculated if this mass (
m) is divided by the mass of one mole (
M) of solute. The equation for this is below the flask above.