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Dilution calculator (C1V1 = C2V2)

Find the final volume needed to dilute a solution to a target concentration.

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Need Final volume (V2), Solvent to add? The Dilution calculator (C1V1 = C2V2) derives it from Initial concentration (C1), Initial volume (V1), Final concentration (C2) in one step. For instance, with Initial concentration (C1) = 10, Initial volume (V1) = 5 and Final concentration (C2) = 2 it returns Final volume (V2) = 25 and Solvent to add = 20.

How to use it

  1. Enter your values: Initial concentration (C1), Initial volume (V1), Final concentration (C2).
  2. Read the result instantly: Final volume (V2), Solvent to add.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Dilution calculator (C1V1 = C2V2) actually compute?

It takes Initial concentration (C1), Initial volume (V1) and Final concentration (C2) and derives Final volume (V2) and Solvent to add from them. The calculation is live as you type, so the result updates on every change.

What information do I need to provide?

3 values: Initial concentration (C1), Initial volume (V1) and Final concentration (C2). Nothing else is required — no account, no file upload.

Can you show a worked example?

With Initial concentration (C1) = 10, Initial volume (V1) = 5 and Final concentration (C2) = 2, the calculator returns Final volume (V2) = 25 and Solvent to add = 20. Those figures come from running this exact tool, so you can reproduce them by entering the same values.

What happens if I enter larger values?

It moves a lot. Using Initial concentration (C1) = 20, Initial volume (V1) = 10 and Final concentration (C2) = 4 instead, Final volume (V2) goes from 25 to 50 — which is why it is worth testing a few scenarios rather than trusting a single figure.

What does it give for smaller values?

Scaled down to Initial concentration (C1) = 5, Initial volume (V1) = 2.5 and Final concentration (C2) = 1, Final volume (V2) comes out at 12.5. The relationship is worth checking at both ends before you rely on a single result.

When would I actually use this?

Preparing a solution at a stated concentration, working out how much of a reagent a reaction needs, and converting between mass, moles and volume.

What is the most common mistake?

Confusing molarity with molality. One is per litre of solution and the other per kilogram of solvent; they diverge as concentration rises, and only one of them is temperature-independent.

What is the difference between the Dilution calculator (C1V1 = C2V2) and the Ideal gas law calculator?

This one returns Final volume (V2) and Solvent to add; the Ideal gas law calculator returns Pressure (atm). That is the whole difference — open the one whose figure you need.

Is there a tool for the next step?

Molarity calculator is the closest one after this: Compute the molar concentration of a solution from moles and volume.

Where do the figures come from, and how current are they?

Atomic masses are the IUPAC standard values. Results assume ideal behaviour and standard conditions unless the tool says otherwise — real solutions deviate, and lab work needs lab measurement.

Further reading

All guides →
How-toHow to Calculate a Dilution with C1V1 = C2V2Solve for the missing term, then convert the answer into a bench instruction. The step almost everyone skips is that the solvent you add is V2 minus V1, not V2.How-toHow to Calculate pH — And When the Weak-Acid Shortcut Stops WorkingFour routes for four kinds of solution, each worked with real numbers. Including the part most pages leave out: the square-root formula for a weak acid is an approximation with a validity limit, and it fails quietly.ExplainerThe Ideal Gas Law Explained: PV = nRT, R in Every Unit, and Where It BreaksPV = nRT holds when the gas is dilute and far from condensing. The value of R depends entirely on the units you feed it, and the temperature is never in degrees Celsius.ExplainerHow Half-Life Works: What Is Left After 1, 3 and 10 Half-LivesOne half-life leaves 50%, three leave 12.5%, ten leave less than a tenth of a percent. The formula is a single line — the part worth understanding is why the answer never reaches zero.How-toHow to Solve Stoichiometry Problems: Grams to Moles to Ratio to GramsEvery problem in the chapter is the same four moves. The mole ratio is the hinge, and it is the step students lose — worked here end to end, limiting reactant and percent yield included.How-toHow to Calculate Molar Mass, Including Parentheses and HydratesMultiply each atomic weight by its subscript and add. The only three places the arithmetic goes wrong are a subscript after a closing bracket, the hydrate dot, and a capital letter typed as a lowercase one.