1. What is the Dilution Formula?

The dilution formula calculates the final concentration of a solution after dilution. It's based on the principle of conservation of mass, where the amount of solute remains constant before and after dilution.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the dilution formula:

Where:

• \( final\_conc \) — Final concentration (ng/μL)
• \( initial\_conc \) — Initial concentration (ng/μL)
• \( initial\_vol \) — Initial volume (μL)
• \( final\_vol \) — Final volume (μL)

Explanation: The formula calculates how the concentration changes when a solution is diluted to a larger volume while keeping the amount of solute constant.

3. Importance of Dilution Calculations

Details: Accurate dilution calculations are crucial in molecular biology, chemistry, and medical laboratories for preparing solutions with precise concentrations for experiments, assays, and diagnostic tests.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter all values in the specified units (ng/μL for concentrations, μL for volumes). All values must be positive numbers greater than zero.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What if I need to dilute to a specific concentration?
A: Rearrange the formula: initial_vol = (final_conc × final_vol) / initial_conc to calculate how much of the stock solution to use.

Q2: Can this calculator handle serial dilutions?
A: This calculator handles single dilutions. For serial dilutions, you would need to calculate each step separately.

Q3: What's the difference between dilution factor and dilution ratio?
A: Dilution factor is final_vol/initial_vol, while dilution ratio is typically expressed as initial_vol:final_vol.

Q4: How precise should my measurements be?
A: Precision depends on your application. For most molecular biology work, measurements should be accurate to at least 1-2%.

Q5: Can I use different units with this calculator?
A: The calculator is designed for ng/μL and μL. Convert all values to these units before calculation for accurate results.