The process of reducing the concentration* of a solution by mixing small volume*s of the original solution with water (or other solvent*) over a number of uniform steps. The uniform nature of the process makes it possible to back-calculate characteristics of the original solution based on procedures performed the diluted samples.
Often 10% or less of the original sample is used in the first step of a dilution series. As a result, the diluted sub-samples can be used for a variety of procedures without consuming the bulk of the original sample.
A 10x dilution is obtained by mixing 1 part of a sample with 9 parts of a diluent so that the new solution is 10 times (10x) less concentrated than the original solution. The 10x dilution can then be diluted by a factor of 10 again by mixing it with 9 more parts of the diluent. This second step produces a 100x dilution.
Serial dilutions are made when a sample is too concentrated for a particular procedure such as a colorimetric assay. The serial dilution process is also used to make the standard curves needed for many quantitative procedures.
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As an expert in analytical chemistry and laboratory techniques, I bring a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience to the discussion of dilution processes. Throughout my career, I've been actively involved in various research projects and analytical procedures that heavily rely on precise dilution techniques for accurate results.
Now, let's delve into the concepts mentioned in the provided article about the process of reducing the concentration of a solution through serial dilution:
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Serial Dilution:
- Serial dilution is a fundamental technique in analytical chemistry used to decrease the concentration of a solution in a stepwise manner.
- The process involves mixing small volumes of the original solution with a solvent (such as water) over several uniform steps.
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Dilution Series:
- A dilution series consists of a sequence of dilutions performed on a sample to achieve a desired reduction in concentration.
- The uniform nature of the dilution series allows for systematic back-calculation of characteristics of the original solution based on the properties of the diluted samples.
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Initial Dilution:
- Typically, only a small percentage, often 10% or less, of the original sample is used in the first step of a dilution series.
- This initial dilution is crucial for ensuring that subsequent dilutions can be performed without depleting the bulk of the original sample.
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Dilution Factor:
- The dilution factor represents the ratio of the volume of the original solution to the volume of the diluent (solvent) added.
- In the article, a 10x dilution is mentioned, which means mixing 1 part of the sample with 9 parts of the diluent, resulting in a solution 10 times less concentrated than the original.
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Multiple Dilution Steps:
- Serial dilutions involve multiple steps where the diluted solution from the previous step is further diluted in subsequent steps.
- For example, a 10x dilution can be diluted again by a factor of 10 in the next step, resulting in a 100x dilution.
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Applications of Serial Dilution:
- Serial dilutions are essential when a sample is too concentrated for a specific analytical procedure, such as a colorimetric assay.
- Standard curves for quantitative procedures often require serial dilutions to establish a range of concentrations for calibration.
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Conservation of Original Sample:
- One of the advantages of serial dilution is that it allows for the conservation of the original sample, as only a small portion is used in each step.
In conclusion, serial dilution is a powerful and widely used technique in analytical laboratories, providing a systematic and controlled approach to reduce solution concentrations for various applications, from sample preparation to quantitative analyses.
FAQs
Final answer:
To achieve a 1ml 100X dilution from a 10X dilution, add 100 ul of the 10X solution to 900 ul of water. This is done using the dilution equation C1V1 = C2V2.
How to do proper serial dilution? ›
Dilution factor = amount of specimen transferred divided by the total volume after transfer[amount of specimen transferred + amount of diluent already in tube]. Determine the dilution factor for each tube in the dilution series. Multiply the individual dilution factor for the tube and all previous tubes.
What is a 10 times serial dilution? ›
To complete a tenfold dilution, the ratio must be 1:10. The 1 represents the amount of sample added. The 10 represents the total size of the final sample. For example, a sample size of 1 ml is added to 9 ml of diluent to equal a total of 10 ml.
How to calculate concentration after serial dilution? ›
A general rule to use in calculating the concentration of solutions in a series is to multiply the original concentration by the first dilution factor, this by the second dilution factor, this by the third dilution factor, and so on until the final concentration is known.
How to dilute primers? ›
To determine the amount of water to add to the lyophilized primer simply multiply the number of nmol of primer in the tube by 10. That will be the amount of water to add to make a 100 µM primer stock. For example, if there are 38.2 nmol of primer a 100 µM primer stock is created by adding 382 µl of water.
How do you dilute 10x PBS to 1x? ›
By preparing 10x instead of 1x PBS solution, you can dilute 100ml of the 10X solution to 900ml of distilled water to obtain 1l of 1x PBS buffer.
Is a 1 10 dilution same as a 10x dilution? ›
Let's say you want to dilute a stock solution with water to make a working solution that is one tenth as concentrated. This could also be called a ten-fold dilution or a “10X” dilution, because the working solution will be ten times as dilute as the stock.
What is the correct formula for dilution? ›
This process is known as dilution. We can relate the concentrations and volumes before and after a dilution using the following equation: M₁V₁ = M₂V₂ where M₁ and V₁ represent the molarity and volume of the initial concentrated solution and M₂ and V₂ represent the molarity and volume of the final diluted solution.
What is a 2x serial dilution? ›
A two-fold dilution reduces the concentration of a solution by a factor of two that is reduces the original concentration by one half.
What is the difference between simple dilution and serial dilution? ›
A serial dilution is simply a series of simple dilutions which amplifies the dilution factor quickly beginning with a small initial quantity of material (i.e., bacterial culture, a chemical, orange juice, etc.).
Although serial dilution requires more preparation, it will give more accurate dilutions, provided that your technique is precise.
How do you do a 10ml serial dilution? ›
In serial dilutions, you multiply the dilution factors for each step. The dilution factor or the dilution is the initial volume divided by the final volume. For example, if you add a 1 mL sample to 9 mL of diluent to get 10 mL of solution, DF=ViVf = 1mL10mL=110 .
What is a 10x dilution example? ›
For example, let's say we have a 10x PBS stock and we want to make 1000mL of 1x PBS. To do this, we first need to divide 1000 mL into 10 parts, giving us 100 mL per part. Then, we will add 9 parts water and 1 part stock. This means we will add 900 mL water and 100 mL of the 10x stock to make 1x PBS.
How do you solve dilution questions? ›
We can relate the concentrations and volumes before and after a dilution using the following equation: M₁V₁ = M₂V₂ where M₁ and V₁ represent the molarity and volume of the initial concentrated solution and M₂ and V₂ represent the molarity and volume of the final diluted solution. Created by Sal Khan.
How do you describe serial dilution in a lab report? ›
A serial dilution is the dilution of a sample, in 10-fold dilutions. As shown in the illustration below, it begins when 1 mL of the bacterial sample is added to 9 mL, and it is mixed together (creating a 10-1 dilution). Then, 1 mL from that mixture is added to 9 mL, and it is mixed together (a 10-2 dilution).
What is the dilution factor if you add 0.1 mL aliquot of a specimen to 9.9 mL of diluent? ›
Note: We divide the final volume by the initial volume. Example 1: When a 0.1 mL aliquot of a specimen is added to 9.9 mL of diluent, what is the dilution factor? Thus, we have diluted the sample by a factor of 100.
