Explain types of dilution of solution to make less concentrated with examples to each type
Dilution is the process of reducing the concentration of a solution by adding more solvent to it. There are two types of dilution: simple dilution and serial dilution.
1. Simple Dilution: In simple dilution, a solution is diluted by adding more solvent to it. The amount of solute remains the same, but the total volume of the solution increases. This decreases the concentration of the solute in the solution.
Example: Suppose you have 100 ml of a 10% salt solution. To dilute it to 5%, you would add 100 ml of water to the solution. The resulting solution would have a lower salt concentration due to the added solvent.
2. Serial Dilution: Serial dilution is a process in which a solution is repeatedly diluted to achieve a desired concentration. It involves diluting a stock solution several times to create a range of diluted solutions with different concentrations.
Example: Let's say you have a stock solution of a bacteria culture with an initial concentration of 1x10^6 colony-forming units (CFU) per milliliter. To perform a serial dilution, you take 1 ml of the stock solution and add it to 9 ml of sterile water, giving you a 1:10 dilution. From this 1:10 dilution, you take 1 ml and add it to 9 ml of sterile water again, creating a 1:100 dilution. This process can be repeated multiple times to achieve different dilution ratios and concentrations of the bacteria solution.
In both types of dilution, the concentration of the solute decreases as more solvent is added, resulting in a less concentrated solution.