Calculating your final volume (v2) is straightforward once you know the Dilution formula and what each input means. This guide explains the method in plain language, walks through a manual calculation, and gives worked examples you can follow — then you can do it instantly with the Dilution Calculator.
What is Dilution?
The Dilution calculation tells you your final volume (v2) from a few simple inputs. The figure you are solving for here is the final volume (v2).
The Dilution formula
The core formula is:
Final volume (V2) = Initial concentration (C1) × Initial volume (V1) ÷ Final concentration (C2)Here is what each input means:
- Initial concentration (C1) — a number. Example: 5.
- Initial volume (V1) — a number. Example: 10.
- Final concentration (C2) — a number. Example: 1.
How to calculate it step by step
- Write down the initial concentration (c1) (for example, 5).
- Write down the initial volume (v1) (for example, 10).
- Write down the final concentration (c2) (for example, 1).
- Apply the formula above to get your final volume (v2).
- Double-check the result with the Dilution Calculator.
Worked examples
Example 1
| Input / Output | Value |
|---|---|
| Initial concentration (C1) | 5 |
| Initial volume (V1) | 10 |
| Final concentration (C2) | 1 |
| Final volume (V2) | 50.000 |
| Solvent to add | 40.000 |
With initial concentration (c1) of 5, initial volume (v1) of 10 and final concentration (c2) of 1, the final volume (v2) works out to 50.000.
Example 2
With initial concentration (c1) of 10, initial volume (v1) of 10 and final concentration (c2) of 1, the final volume (v2) works out to 100.000.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Final volume (V2) | 100.000 |
| Solvent to add | 90.000 |
Example 3
With initial concentration (c1) of 2.5, initial volume (v1) of 10 and final concentration (c2) of 1, the final volume (v2) works out to 25.000.
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Final volume (V2) | 25.000 |
| Solvent to add | 15.000 |
Tips for an accurate result
- Keep your units consistent — mixing, say, months with years or grams with kilograms is the most common source of error.
- Round only at the very end. Rounding inputs early can shift the final answer noticeably.
- Re-run the numbers whenever an input changes, rather than estimating from an old result.
Prefer not to do the maths by hand? — the Dilution Calculator does it instantly, for free, with the formula and a worked example built in.
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