I really am not that dense

I have been grappeling with this chemistry problem for 5 days now. I keep looking at it, going cross eyed and putting it away.


I ended up not getting to do the actual experiment for our lab so the professor gave me data to calculate instead. They originally were told to take NaOH at about 2ish molarity and dilute 10 mL to 100 mL and use that to titrate HCl at another molarity. O.k. fine and dandy. Got the data for the 3 different titrations and figured out the acutal molarity for the diluted sample. Yay. Now we have to take the diluted molarity and figure out the official molarity of the original stock solution knowing it’s “2ish”.


I could not figure out for the life of me how to do this. 5 days straight. I knew I should know, but I couldn’t figure it out. Looked at it, put it away, looked again, put it away again…then it hit me…


M1V1=M2V2


Sheesh. I’m dense.


It’s so simple.


Problem solved.

I can’t tell you how many times knowing this one formula has “saved” my day. I use it for my work as a PA all the time and had to use it a few times to pass my cumulative exams for the MS in Chemistry.


Of course, if I had learned it the FIRST time, I wouldn’t have needed to repeat general chemistry 2X, so don’t feel bad, you got it before the final exam so congrats!!

PA? As in Physician Assistant?

Mad, Path Asst (look in her sig)…

Got’cha! I am just so use to seeing PA used in the other context…I figured…:slight_smile:

I seriously gave myself a smack on the forehead over it.


It is such a nice little formula. Isn’t it?

Me too, Mad… /smack on your forehead, you could’ve had a V8!!

It cracks me up BOOBS that you get chem help here. I am going to remember this when I get stuck on a problem. I love it! LOL.

Hey you go where the help is!


Actually, this particular thread didn’t necessitate me needing help. I was sharing my “d’oh” moment for all to enjoy laughing at me. (It’s funnier if you say d’oh with a Homer Simpson voice )


I’m really starting to enjoy chem. It’s fascinating watching things just come together like they do in chem.