Acid Dilution Calculator Formula

Understand the math behind the acid dilution calculator. Each variable explained with a worked example.

Use the Acid Dilution Calculator

Formulas Used

Final Acid Concentration (C₂)

c2 = (c1 * v1) / v2

Water to Add

water_added = v2 - v1

Variables

VariableDescriptionDefault
c1Initial Acid Concentration (C₁)(M)12
v1Volume of Concentrated Acid (V₁)(mL)10
v2Final Total Volume (V₂)(mL)1000

How It Works

How to Dilute an Acid

Formula

C₁V₁ = C₂V₂

Solving for C₂: C₂ = C₁V₁ / V₂

Where:

  • C₁ = initial concentration
  • V₁ = volume of concentrated acid
  • C₂ = final concentration
  • V₂ = final total volume

    • Safety: Always add acid to water, never water to acid.

    Worked Example

    Dilute 10 mL of 12 M HCl to a final volume of 1000 mL.

    c1 = 12v1 = 10v2 = 1000
    1. 01C₂ = C₁V₁ / V₂
    2. 02C₂ = (12 × 10) / 1000
    3. 03C₂ = 120 / 1000
    4. 04C₂ = 0.12 M

    Ready to run the numbers?

    Open Acid Dilution Calculator