How to Make 10% Sodium Carbonate Solution

Sodium carbonate is an inorganic salt with the chemical formula Na2CO3. This compound is used in such industrial applications as glass production, as an electrolyte or as a component of toothpastes. Sodium carbonate also is commonly used in the home as a cleaning agent. In a 10 percent sodium carbonate solution, the amount of dissolved sodium carbonate salt constitutes 10 percent of the total mass of the solution.

Things You'll Need

• Beaker, 500 mL
• Scale
• Calculator

Instructions

1. Consider the preparation of a sodium carbonate solution using 200 mL of water. Divide the water volume by a factor of 9 to calculate the mass of sodium carbonate needed. In our example, the mass of sodium carbonate is 200 mL / 9 = 22.22 g.

2. Weigh out 22.22 g of sodium carbonate on the scale.

3. Pour 200 mL of water into the beaker and add the sodium carbonate.

4. Mix the solution with a spoon or gently swirl the beaker until the salt is dissolved completely.

References

• "Sodium Carbonate: A Versatile Material"; T. Lister, C. Osborne and I. Bertin; 2000