Ask A Scientist© Chemistry Archive

 >>
 >>    name         Dianna
 >>    status       student
 >>    age          30s

 >>    Question -   How can I make specific percentages of saline solution
 >> using grams of table salt to mililiters of tap water?  (what is the 
recipe?)

Percentage solutions are easy to make up, because a milliliter of water has
a mass of about a gram.  So, for a 1% saline solution, dissolve 1 g salt in
99 mL water; for 2% saline, dissolve 2 g salt in 98 mL water, and so on.


                Richard Barrans Jr., Ph.D.
                Chemical Separations Group
                Chemistry Division CHM/200
                Argonne National Laboratory
                9700 South Cass Avenue
                Argonne, IL 60439
                richb@anl.gov
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You would have to specify whether the percentages are by weight or by volume.

P.S.,  Tap water would not be a good source for most saline solutions in 
which the
percentages are important.  In many saline solutions it is important to use
sterile water, salt, and equipment.

Bradburn
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