What is the product of M and V in the dilution formula M1V1 = M2V2
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The product of M and V in the dilution formula M1V1=M2V2M_1 V_1 = M_2 V_2M1V1=M2V2 represents the concentration and volume relationship of a solution before and after dilution. In this equation, M1M_1M1 and V1V_1V1 refer to the initial molarity (concentration) and volume of the solution, while M2M_2M2 and V2V_2V2 refer to the final molarity and volume of the diluted solution.
The equation itself follows from the principle of conservation of moles in a solution. The total number of moles before dilution is equal to the total number of moles after dilution. This is because when a solution is diluted by adding solvent, the solute (the substance being dissolved) remains constant, meaning no solute is added or removed, only the volume increases.
To understand this, let’s break it down:
- Molarity (M) represents the number of moles of solute in one liter of solution. So, the product of M1M_1M1 and V1V_1V1 gives the total number of moles of solute in the initial solution.
- Similarly, M2M_2M2 and V2V_2V2 give the total number of moles of solute in the final solution after dilution.
- Since the amount of solute stays the same, the number of moles of solute before and after dilution must be equal, hence the equation M1V1=M2V2M_1 V_1 = M_2 V_2M1V1=M2V2.
This relationship is important for calculating the final concentration after dilution. For example, if you have a concentrated solution with a known molarity and you want to dilute it to a desired concentration, you can rearrange the formula to solve for the unknown variable.
For instance:
- If you know M1M_1M1, V1V_1V1, and M2M_2M2, you can solve for V2V_2V2, the final volume needed to achieve the desired concentration.
Thus, the product of M1M_1M1 and V1V_1V1 ensures that the amount of solute remains constant through the dilution process.
