Bit of a random question.........Does anyone have any good tips/books/websites that would help me to get to grips with solution chemistry and molarity type calculations? I'm finding it really difficult to understand the "methods" parts of papers.... and even more difficult to know where to start with my own stuff! How did everyone else learn how to do all this, was it from your undergrad degree?
Thanks

try this: http://www.graphpad.com/quickcalcs/Molarityform.cfm

Well I learnt all the basics at A-level and then you just build on that by applying it to different situations. Never really thought about it to be honest.

If you are totally stuck, take a quick look at an A-level chemistry text book like "Chemistry in Context" and then move on from there.

Or this: http://www.shodor.org/unchem/basic/stoic/

Look out for a book called "molecular cloning" by Sambrook and Russel- every lab I've been in has one! Often refered to as the "Sambrook". Comes in three pretty volumes (blue, red & gree), and you'll soon find that all those usefull tables about how to make a gel are copies from it.
The Sambrook will faithfully tell you what's dangerous to handle and, rather helpfully point out that EDTA will only go into solution if you change the pH- while your collegues just grinn and watch you swear, because it hasn't gone into solution for the last three hours!

If not, the library should have it- don't try to buy it yourself- its a bit on the expensive side.

Otherwise- just ask specific questions here in the forum- laugh we will not.

You could probably use school revision sections:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/bitesize/higher/chemistry/calculations_1/index.shtml

I cannot believe this is Higher Chemistry, it was Standard Grade in my day, talk of dumb down!

n = Mol (mol)
m = gramm (g)
M = molar weight of a substance (g/mol) -> this is also MW
c = concentration (mol/l)
V = volume (l)

n= m/M


c = n/V


For example: to make 400 ml of a 1.5 M Tris- base solution:

First look up the molecular weight on the bottle, for Tris- base this is: MW = 212.14 g/mol

n (Tris – base) = 1.5 M * 0.400 l = 0.600 mol are reqired

g = 0.600 mol * 212.14 g/mol = 127.28 g

Weigh out 127.28 g, dissolve in (almost) 400 ml, adjust the pH and then fill up to 400 ml.


To work out dilutions:

V = volume
C = concentration

C1 * V1 = C2 * V2 , or: V2 = C1 * V1/C2

Thank you all so much - that's really helped a lot!

You're welcome- and don't forget:

The solution of pollution is dilution!

That last formular should be:

c1 * v1 = c2 * v2 , or v2 = (c1 * v1)/ c2

... just to make it clearer.