Stoichiometry of Solutions - Chemistry (Undergraduate Foundation)

Quantify the unknown with Stoichiometry of Solutions. This undergraduate foundation course provides rigorous training in volumetric analysis, the essential technique for determining the concentration of dissolved substances. We start with a detailed overview of titration principles, covering the apparatus, procedure, and the precise requirements for preparing primary and secondary standard solutions. The core of the course focuses on mastering titration calculations, specifically solving complex problems across acid-base, precipitation, redox, and advanced back titration scenarios using worked examples to build immediate computational accuracy. Titration skills are indispensable across all analytical chemistry laboratories and industrial quality control. Learners will acquire the practical ability to determine solution concentrations accurately, which is vital for testing drug purity in pharmaceuticals, analysing contaminants in environmental monitoring, controlling product consistency in food and beverage production, and ensuring reaction completeness in industrial chemical synthesis. This quantitative skill translates directly into professional competency in clinical, industrial, and academic research settings. By the course conclusion, you will be able to explain the principles of volumetric analysis; select and prepare accurate standard solutions; calculate concentrations using data from acid-base, precipitation, and redox titrations; and successfully apply stoichiometric principles to solve complex back titration problems. The emphasis is on converting experimental data into precise, reportable concentrations. This course is a requirement for all undergraduate students in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Pharmacy, Biochemistry, and any field demanding core laboratory analytical skills. It provides the essential practical and theoretical foundation necessary for advanced laboratory modules. Additionally, it serves as an excellent, focused computational review for technicians, research assistants, and professionals preparing for laboratory certification or technical exams.

Enrolment valid for 12 months

This course is also part of the following learning track. You may join the track to gain comprehensive knowledge across related courses.

CHM 101: General Chemistry I

This learning track delivers the complete NUC CCMAS curriculum for General Chemistry I. It is a comprehensive programme designed to build a robust, university-level foundation in modern chemistry. The track systematically covers all essential topics, from atomic theory, chemical bonding, and the states of matter, to the quantitative principles of stoichiometry, equilibrium, thermodynamics, and kinetics. This programme is for first-year undergraduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) faculties who are required to take CHM 101. It is also essential for any student or professional globally who needs a rigorous and complete foundation in first-year university chemistry for further study or career development. This track delivers a full skill set in chemical theory and quantitative problem-solving. Graduates will be able to determine molecular structures, calculate reaction quantities, analyse the energetics and rates of reactions, and solve complex equilibrium problems. This programme provides the non-negotiable prerequisite knowledge for all subsequent chemistry courses and for any degree in the physical sciences, engineering, or medicine.

Course Chapters

1. Introduction

This chapter provides the roadmap for the course. It introduces volumetric analysis, or titration, as a major practical application of all preceding stoichiometric principles. Key learning objectives include: understanding the overall course structure and appreciating the role of titration as a fundamental technique in analytical chemistry.

Chapter lessons

1-1. Welcome

4:28

This lesson introduces volumetric analysis as a critical application of stoichiometry for determining unknown solution concentrations. You will understand the course structure and the necessity of conducting reactions in the liquid phase to facilitate molecular contact and mimic biological systems. Mastery of these concepts is essential for all subsequent laboratory work.

2. Composition of Solutions

This chapter establishes the quantitative basis for volumetric analysis by defining how substance amounts are expressed in liquid media. Precision here is mandatory, as these concentration units are the primary variables in all subsequent titration calculations and laboratory protocols. You will master four key objectives: defining and calculating molarity; determining mass concentration; performing precise dilution calculations; and interconverting between various concentration units to prepare accurate standard solutions.

Chapter lessons

2-1. Molarity

11:27

This lesson rigorously defines molarity as the amount of solute in moles per unit volume of solution. You will learn the fundamental calculations required to determine molar concentration from mass and volume data. Mastery of this unit is mandatory for all quantitative volumetric analysis.

2-2. Mass concentration

8:21

This lesson defines mass concentration as the mass of a solute dissolved in a unit volume of solution, typically expressed in grams per litre. You will learn to calculate this value and interconvert it with molarity. Accurate determination of mass concentration is vital for reagent preparation.

3. Dilution of Solutions

This chapter provides the mathematical and practical framework for reducing solution concentration without altering the total amount of solute. Precise dilution is a mandatory laboratory skill, as preparing working standards from concentrated stocks is standard practice in all volumetric analysis. You will master four objectives: applying the dilution equation; calculating stock volumes for target molarities; performing multi-step serial dilutions; and solving complex mixture concentration problems.

Chapter lessons

3-1. Standard solutions

8:26

This lesson defines primary and secondary standard solutions and the rigorous criteria for their preparation. You will identify high-purity stable compounds required for primary standards and understand the necessity of standardisation for secondary solutions to ensure analytical accuracy.

3-2. Principles of dilution

16:03

This lesson establishes that the amount of solute remains constant during dilution while volume increases and concentration decreases. You will define the mathematical relationship between initial and final states and learn to apply the dilution equation for precise solution preparation.

4. Reactions in Solution

This chapter bridges pure concentration calculations and chemical reactivity by examining how dissolved substances interact. Understanding the stoichiometric ratios within a liquid phase is critical for predicting product yields and determining the exact points of chemical equivalence in analytical procedures. You will master four objectives: applying mole ratios to solution-phase reactions; calculating the mass of precipitates formed; determining limiting reagents in aqueous systems; and computing the theoretical yields of products from known molar concentrations.

Chapter lessons

4-1. Precipitation

2:41

This lesson examines the formation of insoluble solids from aqueous reactants and the subsequent stoichiometric calculations required to predict precipitate mass. You will use molarity and balanced equations to determine limiting reagents and theoretical yields in precipitation reactions.

5. Conclusion

This final chapter synthesises all concentration and reaction principles into a cohesive framework for volumetric analysis. Mastery here ensures you can transition from theoretical calculations to precise laboratory execution in real-world analytical chemistry. By the end of this chapter, you will master four key objectives: integrating stoichiometry with titration data; summarising the criteria for standard solutions; verifying computational accuracy in multi-step problems; and demonstrating readiness for advanced analytical modules.

Chapter lessons

5-1. Summary and practice questions

This lesson reviews all core concentration units, dilution principles, and solution-phase stoichiometry. You will solve comprehensive practice questions that integrate these concepts to validate your analytical accuracy. Mastering these problems confirms your readiness for advanced volumetric analysis.