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Serial Dilution Formula:
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The Serial Dilution Method is a stepwise dilution of a substance in solution, usually to reduce the concentration by a constant factor at each step. It's commonly used in microbiology, biochemistry, and analytical chemistry to create a series of solutions with known concentrations.
The calculator uses the serial dilution formula:
Where:
Explanation: The final concentration is calculated by dividing the initial concentration by the product of all individual dilution factors in the series.
Details: Serial dilution is essential for creating calibration curves, determining unknown concentrations, preparing samples for analysis, and in microbiological techniques like colony counting and antimicrobial susceptibility testing.
Tips: Enter the initial concentration, specify the number of dilution steps, and provide the dilution factor for each step. All dilution factors must be greater than or equal to 1.
Q1: What is a dilution factor?
A: A dilution factor represents the ratio of the final volume to the aliquot volume. For example, a 1:10 dilution has a dilution factor of 10.
Q2: How do I calculate the total dilution?
A: The total dilution is the product of all individual dilution factors in the series.
Q3: What units should I use for concentration?
A: The calculator works with any concentration units (mg/mL, M, %, etc.) as long as you're consistent. The result will be in the same units as your initial concentration.
Q4: Can I use this for bacterial colony counting?
A: Yes, this method is commonly used to prepare serial dilutions for viable cell counting and determining colony-forming units (CFU).
Q5: What's the maximum number of dilution steps I can calculate?
A: The calculator supports up to 10 dilution steps, which is sufficient for most practical applications.