What does dilution do to the concentration of a solute?

Dilution refers to the process of reducing the concentration of a solute in a solution, typically by adding more solvent. When more solvent is added to a solution containing a solute, the total volume of the solution increases, while the amount of solute remains the same.

As a result, the concentration of the solute, which is defined as the amount of solute per unit volume of solution, decreases. This is often expressed mathematically by the dilution equation:

[ C_1V_1 = C_2V_2 ]

where ( C_1 ) and ( V_1 ) are the initial concentration and volume of the solution, and ( C_2 ) and ( V_2 ) are the final concentration and volume after dilution. Since ( V_2 ) becomes larger with the addition of solvent, ( C_2 ) (the final concentration) must be lower than ( C_1 ) (the initial concentration).

In practical terms, this means that dilution effectively spreads out the solute particles throughout a greater volume of solvent, leading to a lower concentration.