Dilution Factor and Serial Dilution Calculator
Calculate C₁V₁ = C₂V₂ for single dilutions.
Also calculate serial dilutions showing concentration at each step.
Essential for lab prep and microbiology.
Dilution reduces the concentration of a solution by adding more solvent.
Single dilution formula:
C₁V₁ = C₂V₂
The moles of solute remain constant; only the volume changes.
- C₁ = initial concentration, V₁ = initial volume
- C₂ = final concentration, V₂ = final volume
Dilution factor:
DF = C₁/C₂ = V₂/V₁
Volume of solvent to add:
V_solvent = V₂ - V₁
Serial dilutions involve a series of equal dilution steps, each using the previous step’s diluted solution.
For each step: C_n = C_{n-1} × (V_transfer / V_total)
After n steps:
C_n = C₀ × (V_transfer / V_total)^n
Common serial dilution ratios:
- 1:10 (1 part + 9 parts solvent): each step multiplies by 0.1
- 1:2 (1 part + 1 part): each step multiplies by 0.5
- 1:5 (1 part + 4 parts): each step multiplies by 0.2
Applications:
- Microbiology: serial dilutions to count bacteria (colony counting)
- Pharmacology: drug concentration curves
- Chemistry: preparing calibration standards
- Clinical lab: diluting blood samples before analysis
Example — 1:10 serial dilution from 1 M: Step 1: 0.1 M, Step 2: 0.01 M, Step 3: 0.001 M (1 mM), Step 4: 0.0001 M (100 μM)