How to Dilute a 20% Sucrose Solution to Make 10%, 6%, 5%, and 4% Solutions

Introduction to Sucrose Solutions

A sucrose solution is a homogeneous mixture of sucrose (sugar) dissolved in water. When preparing solutions with specific sucrose percentages from a stock solution, it is crucial to apply the right dilution formula to achieve the desired concentration. This article will guide you on how to dilute a 20% sucrose solution to obtain 10%, 6%, 5%, and 4% sucrose solutions. We will also explore a slightly different approach to the same process, involving the use of a variable volume of water to achieve the desired concentration.

Key Concepts and Formulas

The fundamental dilution formula used for preparing dilutions is:

C1 × V1 C2 × V2

C1 - the concentration of the stock solution (20% sucrose in this case) V1 - the volume of the stock solution needed to prepare the diluted solution C2 - the desired concentration of the diluted solution (10%, 6%, 5%, or 4%) V2 - the final volume of the diluted solution

Preparing 10%, 6%, 5%, and 4% Sucrose Solutions

We will first demonstrate how to prepare the diluted solutions using the dilution formula.

1. Preparing 10% Sucrose Solution

If you want to prepare 100 mL of a 10% sucrose solution from a 20% sucrose stock solution:

C1 20, C2 10, V2 100 mL

20 × V1 10 × 100 mL

V1 (10 × 100) / 20 50 mL

Procedure: Take 50 mL of the 20% sucrose solution and dilute it with 50 mL of water to make a 100 mL solution. This results in a 10% sucrose solution.

2. Preparing 6% Sucrose Solution

To prepare 100 mL of a 6% sucrose solution:

C1 20, C2 6, V2 100 mL

20 × V1 6 × 100 mL

V1 (6 × 100) / 20 30 mL

Procedure: Take 30 mL of the 20% sucrose solution and dilute it with 70 mL of water to make a 100 mL solution. This results in a 6% sucrose solution.

3. Preparing 5% Sucrose Solution

To prepare 100 mL of a 5% sucrose solution:

C1 20, C2 5, V2 100 mL

20 × V1 5 × 100 mL

V1 (5 × 100) / 20 25 mL

Procedure: Take 25 mL of the 20% sucrose solution and dilute it with 75 mL of water to make a 100 mL solution. This results in a 5% sucrose solution.

4. Preparing 4% Sucrose Solution

To prepare 100 mL of a 4% sucrose solution:

C1 20, C2 4, V2 100 mL

20 × V1 4 × 100 mL

V1 (4 × 100) / 20 20 mL

Procedure: Take 20 mL of the 20% sucrose solution and dilute it with 80 mL of water to make a 100 mL solution. This results in a 4% sucrose solution.

A Different Approach to Sucrose Solutions

Alternatively, you can use a variable volume of water to achieve the desired concentration. The formula for calculating the volume of water to add is:

Y (2 - NX) / N

Where:

N - the desired concentration of the sucrose solution (10, 6, 5, or 4) X - the volume of the 20% sucrose solution

1. 10% Sucrose Solution

Y (2 - 1) / 10

Procedure: Add a volume of water equal to the volume of the 20% sucrose solution to achieve a 10% sucrose solution.

2. 6% Sucrose Solution

Y (2 - 6X) / 6

Procedure: Add 7/3 times the volume of the 20% sucrose solution in water to achieve a 6% sucrose solution.

3. 5% Sucrose Solution

Y (2 - 5X) / 5

Procedure: Add 3 times the volume of the 20% sucrose solution in water to achieve a 5% sucrose solution.

4. 4% Sucrose Solution

Y (2 - 4X) / 4

Procedure: Add 4 times the volume of the 20% sucrose solution in water to achieve a 4% sucrose solution.

Conclusion

By following the steps outlined above, you can easily prepare a 20% sucrose solution to make 10%, 6%, 5%, and 4% sucrose solutions. This process can be scaled for different volumes, ensuring that your solutions meet the necessary concentration requirements.

For more detailed guidance and additional information on preparing solutions, explore other relevant articles or contact a professional in the field of chemistry or biochemistry.