Serial Dilution Calculator
Calculate the diluent volume and track target concentrations across each step of a logarithmic or linear serial dilution.
Dilution Configuration
Define your starting concentration and dilution parameters.
Diluent Volume per Tube
* Put this volume of diluent in each subsequent tube.
Step-by-Step Dilution Scheme
| Tube Number | Volume of Diluent | Volume to Transfer | Final Concentration |
|---|
Methodology & Equations
Diluent Calculation
The volume of diluent required in each tube to achieve a target dilution factor (DF) from a transfer volume (Valiquot) is:
What is a Serial Dilution?
A serial dilution is a stepwise dilution of a substance in solution. Usually, the dilution factor is constant at each step (e.g. 10-fold), resulting in a logarithmic decay of concentrations. This is commonly used in microbiology to determine CFU concentrations or in biochemistry to build ELISA standard curves.
How to Perform Serial Dilutions
Serial dilutions step down concentrations systematically. Here is the methodology:
Choose Volume and Transfer
Decide the volume to transfer (V_trans) and the volume of diluent (V_dil) in each tube.
Calculate Step Dilution Factor
DF = (V_trans + V_dil) / V_trans.
Determine Concentration Sequentially
For each subsequent tube, divide the previous concentration by the dilution factor: Cn = Cn-1 / DF.
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