Lab: Solution Preparation

It is extremely important to know how to prepare solutions of known molarity for both biology
and chemistry. In this lab, you will make and dilute a salt solution, using density to test your
accuracy.
Purpose: To practice making solutions and carefully measuring data to calculate the solution’s
final concentration.

Part A: Preparing a Salt Solution

Procedure:
Measure the mass of a clean, dry, 50 mL volumetric flask. Add approximately 10 grams of salt
to the flask. Record the exact mass of salt added. Half-fill the flask with water and shake it gently
until all the NaCl dissolves. Fill the flask with water to the 50-mL mark and measure the mass
again. Create a data table for your measurements.

Analysis:
1. Calculate the molarity of the NaCl solution.

2. Density tells how many grams of solution are present in 1 mL of solution.

a. What is the formula for density?
b. Calculate the density of the solution.

Part B: Diluting a Salt Solution

Procedure:
Using your sodium chloride solution, create a 1M NaCl solution. To do this, first use the dilution
formula to calculate the volume of solution needed to create 50 mL of a 1 M solution. Obtain
another dry and clean volumetric flask. Obtain the mass of this flask. Add the calculated mL of
solution to the flask. Then, fill the flask to the 50 mL mark. Obtain the final mass of the flask.

Data:
Mass of dry flask, grams Volume of solution added Mass of flask and second Mass of second solution,
to flask, mL solution, grams gram

Post-Lab Analysis (primarily pertaining to part B):

1. What is the volume of original solution was needed to make 50 mL of a 1 M solution?

1. Ideally, a 1 M solution of NaCl will contain how many grams of NaCl in 50 mL?
2. What is the mass of 50 mL of water, if the density of water is 1.00 g/mL?
3. What is the theoretical mass of 50 mL of a 1 M NaCl solution?
4. What is the percent error? What are two sources of error?

Remaining Analysis:
5. Calculate then describe how to prepare solutions listed below.
a. 100 ml 0.100 M HCl to be prepared from 6.00 M HCl.
b. 100 ml 0.100 M NaOH to be prepared from solid NaOH.