To what volume should you dilute 50.0 mL of a 12 M stock HNO₃ solution to obtain a 0.100 M HNO₃ solution?

Key Concepts

Dilution Principle

The dilution principle states that when a solution is diluted, the number of moles of solute remains constant. This can be expressed mathematically as C1V1 = C2V2, where C1 and V1 are the concentration and volume of the stock solution, and C2 and V2 are the concentration and volume of the diluted solution.

Molarity (M)

Molarity is a measure of concentration defined as the number of moles of solute per liter of solution. It is expressed in moles per liter (mol/L). Understanding molarity is crucial for calculating how much of a stock solution is needed to achieve a desired concentration in a diluted solution.

Volume Calculation

Volume calculation involves determining the final volume of a solution after dilution. In the context of the dilution principle, once the initial volume and concentration are known, the final volume can be calculated using the rearranged formula V2 = (C1V1) / C2, allowing for the preparation of solutions with specific concentrations.