In chemistry, concentration describes the amount of solute dissolved in a solvent or solution. Understanding different expressions of concentration is important for accurately describing chemical mixtures and performing calculations in the laboratory.

Below are common ways to express concentration, along with clear, practical examples.

1. Mass or Weight Percent (%wt)

Mass percent (or percent by mass) indicates how many grams of solute are present per 100 grams of the solution; we can also determine the mass percent by dividing the amounts of solute and solution:

Example:

If you dissolve 20 grams of sugar in 80 grams of water, the total mass of the solution is 100 grams.

Mass % sugar =