Mass-volume percentage, also known as mass/volume percentage or m/v%, is a unit of concentration that expresses the mass of a solute dissolved in a given volume of solution. It represents the ratio of the mass of the solute to the total volume of the solution, typically expressed as a percentage.
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Mass-volume percentage is commonly used to express the concentration of solutions in chemistry and pharmaceutical applications.
To calculate the mass-volume percentage, the mass of the solute is divided by the total volume of the solution and then multiplied by 100 to obtain the percentage.
Mass-volume percentage is particularly useful when the density of the solution is not known or when the solute is a solid that is dissolved in a liquid solvent.
Unlike molarity, which expresses the number of moles of solute per unit volume of solution, mass-volume percentage does not require knowledge of the molar mass of the solute.
Mass-volume percentage can be used to prepare solutions of desired concentrations by dissolving a specific mass of solute in a known volume of solvent.
Review Questions
Explain the relationship between mass-volume percentage and the concentration of a solution.
The mass-volume percentage directly reflects the concentration of a solution, as it represents the ratio of the mass of the solute to the total volume of the solution. A higher mass-volume percentage indicates a more concentrated solution, as there is a greater amount of solute dissolved in the same volume of the solution. Conversely, a lower mass-volume percentage corresponds to a more dilute solution, where the solute is present in a smaller proportion relative to the total volume.
Describe the advantages of using mass-volume percentage over other concentration units, such as molarity, in certain situations.
One advantage of using mass-volume percentage is that it does not require knowledge of the molar mass of the solute, which is necessary for calculating molarity. This makes mass-volume percentage particularly useful when the solute is a solid that is dissolved in a liquid solvent, or when the density of the solution is not known. Additionally, mass-volume percentage is a more intuitive unit for expressing the concentration of solutions, as it directly relates the mass of the solute to the total volume of the solution, which can be more relevant in practical applications such as pharmaceutical formulations.
Explain how mass-volume percentage can be used to prepare solutions with a desired concentration.
To prepare a solution with a specific mass-volume percentage, one can dissolve a known mass of the solute in a calculated volume of the solvent. The desired mass-volume percentage can be achieved by dividing the mass of the solute by the total volume of the solution and multiplying by 100. This approach allows for the precise preparation of solutions with a target concentration, which is important in various applications, such as in the formulation of pharmaceutical products or the preparation of stock solutions for analytical procedures.
Related terms
Solute: The substance dissolved in a solution, which is present in a lower amount compared to the solvent.
Solvent: The substance in which the solute is dissolved, typically present in a larger amount compared to the solute.
Concentration: The measure of the amount of a substance present in a given volume or mass of a solution.