Enter any three concentration and volume values to solve the fourth, with micromolar, millimolar, molar, milliliter, and liter units.
Turn C1V1=C2V2 into stock/diluent volumes and a repeatable serial-dilution sequence.
| Step | Concentration | Transfer | Diluent |
|---|
Use the tool above first. These notes explain how to interpret, verify and bound the result without displacing the primary workflow.
The standard dilution equation assumes the amount of solute is conserved while solvent changes the total volume. It is appropriate for straightforward dilution of the same solute, not for reactions, precipitation or processes that alter the amount of solute.
When solving for stock volume, the practical action is to measure V1 of stock and add enough solvent to reach the final volume V2. The amount of diluent is V2 minus V1, which should never be negative in an ordinary dilution.
Keep concentration units compatible with each other and volume units compatible with each other before applying the ratio. Mixing M with mM or mL with µL without conversion changes the answer by powers of ten.
A serial dilution applies the factor repeatedly. A 1:10 step repeated three times produces an overall 1:1000 concentration ratio, assuming each transfer and final volume are prepared accurately. Pipetting uncertainty accumulates across steps.
Check that the requested final concentration does not exceed the stock concentration for a simple dilution and that V1 is no larger than V2. For laboratory work, account separately for purity, density, temperature, volumetric glassware and measurement uncertainty when they matter.
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