Dilution Calculator — Solution Concentration & Volume CalculatorC₁V₁ = C₂V₂ · Molarity · Percent Concentration · Stock Solution · Serial Dilution
Use this free Dilution Calculator to instantly solve any unknown variable in the fundamental dilution equation: C₁V₁ = C₂V₂ — where C₁ is the initial concentration of the stock solution, V₁ is the volume of stock solution required, C₂ is the desired final concentration, and V₂ is the total final volume of the diluted solution. Enter any three known values to automatically calculate the fourth solution parameter across all standard concentration units: mol/L (Molarity, M) · mmol/L (mM) · μmol/L (μM) · % w/v · mg/mL · μg/mL.
The C₁V₁ = C₂V₂ dilution formula is one of the most frequently applied equations in analytical chemistry, biochemistry, and life sciences, used daily across a wide range of critical applications: preparing working solutions from concentrated stock solutions · serial dilution calculations for microbiology and cell culture · pharmaceutical drug concentration and dosage preparation · buffer preparation and solution standardization · HPLC, spectrophotometry & titration sample preparation · PCR reagent and enzyme dilution in molecular biology. This online dilution calculator is trusted by chemistry students, laboratory technicians, research scientists, pharmacists, and clinical laboratory professionals for fast, accurate solution preparation calculations without manual arithmetic errors.
⚠ Laboratory Disclaimer: This dilution calculator is intended for educational, academic, and laboratory planning purposes only. All solution preparation calculations should be independently verified using calibrated laboratory instruments including volumetric flasks, micropipettes, and analytical balances. Always follow GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) and GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) protocols, consult your institution's standard operating procedures (SOPs), and adhere to all applicable chemical safety and COSHH regulations when handling concentrated acids, bases, toxic reagents, or hazardous chemicals.
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Concentration Calculator — Dilutions, Percent Solutions, and Unit Conversions
Concentration expresses how much solute exists in a given amount of solution, and the unit choice matters for the application. Molarity (mol/L) is used for stoichiometric calculations; mass percent (g solute/100g solution) is used for commercial reagent labeling; mg/mL is used in pharmaceutical dosing; ppm (mg/L) is used in environmental monitoring. Converting between these units requires density data for non-dilute solutions. The concentration calculator handles all major concentration units with density-based interconversion for aqueous solutions.
Dilution factor and fold dilution are commonly confused. A 1:10 dilution means 1 part sample in 10 parts total (1 mL sample + 9 mL diluent = 10 mL total) — a 10-fold dilution giving a 10× concentration reduction. A 1-in-10 dilution means the same thing in ratio notation. A 10-fold dilution does not mean adding 10 volumes of diluent to 1 volume of sample (that would be an 11-fold dilution). The distinction matters for immunoassay titer calculations, microbiological serial dilutions, and pharmaceutical preparations where dilution errors have safety consequences.
Stock solution preparation for multiple experiments benefits from calculating the highest concentration stock that remains soluble and stable, from which working concentrations are prepared by dilution. A drug with a maximum aqueous solubility of 10 mg/mL cannot be made as a 50 mg/mL aqueous stock — DMSO or ethanol stocks at higher concentration are used instead. The calculator determines the required stock concentration and volume to prepare a given number of working solutions at specified concentrations and volumes.