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Making Solutions from Dry Chemicals

This protocol was adapted from "Making Solutions," Chapter 4, in Lab Math by Dany Spencer Adams. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA, 2003.

INTRODUCTION

Solution making most typically involves dissolving a dry chemical in water or other specified solvent. The amount of chemical to be added to a solvent depends on the final concentration or molarity (M) needed for the finished solution and the total amount in liters (L) of solution required. The easiest way to measure chemicals is by mass. Typically, to make a solution one must determine the mass of chemical needed, based on the desired final concentration (usually molarity), the molecular weight (MW) of the chemical, and the final volume of solution. This article describes the calculations involved in making solutions from dry chemicals.