Practical guide · 6 min read
How to Calculate Molarity and Dilution
A unit-aware method for solution concentration and dilution problems.
Molarity describes moles of solute per liter of final solution, not per liter of solvent.
Molarity
Convert the final solution volume to liters, then divide the solute amount in moles by that volume.
Dilution
For unchanged solute amount, equate initial and final concentration-volume products: C₁V₁ = C₂V₂.
Unit check
Concentration units must match, and both volumes must use the same unit before cancellation.
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This guide is educational. Examples are deliberately compact and cannot cover every model, course convention, or laboratory condition. See our methodology for how formulas and examples are reviewed.