Mass Percent Formula: Solution & Finding Mass Percentage

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Jasmine Grover

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Mass Percent Fomula can be defined as the way that is used to express a concentration. Mass percent is a way to express the concentration of a substance in a mixture. It can further be defined as the mass of a solute in a mixture divided by the total mass of the mixture, and multiplied by 100%.

  • The Mass percentage can define the solution components particular solution.
  • The solute is the component that we are concentrating on in a particular mixture.
  • Many solutes together form a solution, simply termed as the solution is a mixture of solutes.
  • And to determine how much mass of the solute we are referring to is present in the solution's total mass, we use mass per cent.

Therefore, the Mass Percentage Formula can be denoted as:

Mass Percentage = \(\frac{Mass\ of\ Solute}{Mass\ of\ Solution} \times 100\)

For instance, if you have a solution that comprises 10 grams of salt dissolved in 100 grams of water, the mass per cent of salt in the solution would be:

→ Mass percent = (10 g ÷ 110 g) × 100% = 9.09%

This means that the solution contains 9.09% salt by mass.

Key Terms: Mass Percent Formula, Supersaturated SolutionSolution, Solvent, Mass Percentage, Volume Percentage, Colligative Properties, Ideal Solutions, Non-ideal solutions, Solute, Solubility Product, Azeotropic Distillation, Aqua regia


What is a Solution?

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According to chemistry, a solution can be defined as a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances.

  • Solute is defined as a substance that gets dissolved or has a physical change in it in a solution.
  • Solvent is defined as a substance that dissolves the substances that dissolve simply a solute in it and does not have any kind of physical change in it.
  • The substances of a solution can be found either in the same physical state or in different physical states.
  • The substances which are responsible to form a solution are known as the components of the solution.
  • The type of solution is typically dependent on the basis of the number of components present in the solution.
  • For instance, if a solution has two components, then it can be defined as a binary solution. 

In a solution, the substance that is present in the largest amount is known as the solvent, while the substance that is dissolved in the solvent is known as the solute. Solutions can be formed by mixing solids, liquids, or gases. Solutions can also be characterized by their concentration, which is the amount of solute present in a given volume or mass of the solution.

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What is Mass Percent?

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Mass percent can be defined as a way of expressing the concentration of a solute in a solution. It helps to indicate the percentage of the mass of the solute in the total mass of the solution. Mass percent is also often called weight percent or percent by weight.

For example, if a 5 g sample of salt has been dissolved in 95 grams of water, the mass percent of salt in the solution can be expressed as:

Mass Percent = (5 g / 100 g) x 100% = 5%

Thus, it means that 5% of the total mass of the solution is composed of salt.


Mass Percent Formula

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To find the mass of every component in one mole of the compound, we have mass percent to express it as concentration. It can also be a way to express a degree of a component.

Mass % = \(\frac{Mass\ of\ Solute}{Mass\ of\ Solution} \times 100\)

Mass Percent = Mass of Solute/Mass of solution x 100

  • This formula is used to solve the molar mass for the mass of each element present in one mole of the compound. The mass percentage is also referred to as w/w % (Percent by Weight).
  • Three different formulas are based on this equation: Mass by Mass Percentage, Mass by Volume Percentage, and Volume by Volume Percentage.

Mass by Mass Percentage

In mass by mass percentage, the concentration is expressed as the mass of solute present in the grams for every 100 grams of the total mass of the mixture or solution.

Mass by Mass % = Mass of solute/Mass of Solution x 100

Example: A syrup of 212.5g mass has 34g mass of sugar. Determine the sugar concentration in the syrup given.

Ans: Mass by Mass % = Mass of solute/Mass of Solution* 100 is the formula to find concentration mass by mass.

Given,

Mass of solute: sugar is 34g.

Mass of Solution: Total mass of the solution is 212.5g.

According to the formula: Mass by Mass % = Mass of solute/Mass of Solution* 100

Mass by Mass % = 34212.5 X 100 = 0.16 x 100 = 16%

So 16% of sugar is present in the sugar syrup solution of 212.5g.

Mass by Volume Percentage

In mass by volume percentage, the concentration is expressed as mass of solute present in the grams for every 100 units of the total volume of the mixture or solution.

Mass by Volume % = Mass of solute/Volume of Solution x 100

The units can change as g/L or g/mL or kg/L.

Volume by Volume Percentage

In Volume by volume percentage, the concentration is expressed as the volume of solute present for every 100 units of the total volume of the mixture or solution.

Volume by Volume % = Volume of solute/Volume of Solution* 100

Example: If 30ml of alcohol is present in a solution of 200ml then determine the concentration of the solute .

Ans: Volume by Volume % = Volume of solute/Volume of Solution * 100 = (30/200) * 100 = 15%

15% of the volume of alcohol is present in the solution of 200ml.


Solved Example

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Ques. A Solution contains 15gm of sugar in 60gm of water. Find out the mass % for each component of the solution.

Ans: Total mass of Solution can be found by adding the masses of all the components.

Mass of the solution = 15g sugar + 60 gm of water = 75g.

Mass % formula is given by Mass by Mass % = Mass of solute Mass of SolutionX 100

Mass % of sugar in the solution is (15/75)*100 = 20%

Mass % of water in the solution is (60/75)*100 = 80%


Finding Mass Percentage

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The steps to find mass percentage are:

  • Step 1: Mass percent = (mass of chemical / total mass of compound) x 100 is used as the formula to determine mass percent of a compound. In order to express the value as a percentage, we must multiply 100 at the top.
  • Step 2: The second step is to find the compound’s total mass. Here, you are required to add the mass of all elements which are to be combined to calculate the total mass of the final solution.
  • Step 3: Then, we need to evaluate the chemical’s mass.
  • Step 4: In the mass percent equation, the variables are then put. Hence, once the value of each variable is known, place them in the equation.
  • Step 5: Thus, now calculate the mass percentage of the total body mass. 

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Things to Remember

  • Mass percentage is a way to express the amount of a substance in a mixture or solution.
  • Mass by Mass % = Mass of solute/Mass of Solution x 100
  • Mass by Volume % = Mass of solute/Volume of Solution x 100
  • Volume by Volume % = Volume of solute/Volume of Solution x 100
  • Solute can be expressed as a substance that gets dissolved or has a physical change in it in a solution.
  • Solvent is defined as a substance that dissolves the substances that dissolve simply a solute in it and does not have any kind of physical change in it.

Previous Year Questions


Sample Questions 

Ques 1. What are the units of mass percent? (1 Mark)

Ans: There are no units as it is a ratio.

Ques 2. 8g of chlorine is dissolved in 400g of water. What percent of chlorine is present by mass in water? (3 Marks)

Ans: Mass percentage =( Mass of solute / Mass of solution ) * 100.

Solute in grams = 8g ( chlorine)

Solvent in grams = 400g (water)

Total solution in gm = 8+400 = 408g of solution

Mass percentage =( 8 / 408 ) * 100 = (0.0196)*100 = 1.96%

Ques 3. A solution is formed with 500gm of water and 2.38 mass by mass solute mixed together. Find the mass of the solute. (3 Marks)

Ans: Mass percent = ( Mass of solute / Mass of solution ) * 100.

Mass of solute = Mass percentage * mass of solution / 100

Mass of solution = ( x+ 500)

Mass of solute(x) = 2.38 * (x+500)/100

2.38x +1190 = 100x

X = 12.19g which is the solute present in grams in the solution.

Ques 4. Calculate how much cane sugar is needed to prepare 200 of 20% sugar solution? (3 Marks)

Ans: Mass of sugar = Xg

Mass percentage =( Mass of solute / Mass of solution ) * 100.

Mass percentage = 20

Mass of solution = 200g

20 = (x/200)*100

X = (20*200)/100

X = 40gm, 40g sugar is needed to make the required solution.

Ques 5. What is the difference in Mass and volume percentage? (2 Marks)

Ans: In mass by mass both the quantities are taken in mass i.e gm values whereas in mass by volume or volume by volume one or both of the components are generally in liters.

  • Mass by Mass % = Mass of soluteMass of SolutionX 100
  • Volume by Volume % = Volume of soluteVolume of SolutionX 100

Ques 6. Calculate V V of benzene if 12 cubic cm benzene is dissolved in 16 cubic centimeter xylene? (3 Marks)

Ans: Volume by Volume % = Volume of soluteVolume of SolutionX 100

The volume of the solute = 12

The volume of the solvent = 16

Total volume of the solution = 16+12 = 28

V V % = (12/28)*100

Volume % = (3/7)*100 = 1.46%

Ques 7. Why is mass percentage important? (1 Mark)

Ans: The mass percentage formula helps us in finding the relative numbers of atoms of a particular component present in the mixture which helps in creating chemical formulae.

Ques 8. What are the steps to calculate mass percentage? (3 Marks)

Ans: The formula for mass percentage is given as Mass Percent = Mass of SoluteMass of solutionX 100

First, take the total mass of the compound or solution, or if you know the mass of each compound from the question which is added to get the compound then the summation of their masses gives us the total mass of the solution.

Take the mass of the specific component for which we need to find the mass percentage. This will be the numerator in the formula.

Once you have everything you need, put them into the equation.

Now find the mass percent by calculating all the values from the equation and finally multiply with 100 to get the concentration in percentage.

Ques 9. If 32 grams of hydrochloric(HCl) acid is mixed with 150mL of solution. Find out the mass by volume % of HCl in the mixture? (2 Marks)

Ans: Mass of solute = 32

The volume of the solution = 150

Mass by Volume % = Mass of solute/Volume of SolutionX 100 = ( 32/150 ) X 100 = 21.33% (1 Mark)

The mass by the volume of HCL in the solution is 21.33%.

Ques 10. What is the SI unit of Mass and what is meant by solute and solvent in a solution? (2 Marks)

Ans: SI unit of mass is Kilogram (Kg)

  • Solute: Solute is defined as a substance that gets dissolved or has a physical change in it in a solution.
  • Solvent: Solvent is defined as a substance that dissolves the substances that dissolve simply a solute in it and does not have any kind of physical change in it.

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