Science, Tech, Math › Science Concentrated Definition (Chemistry) What Concentrated Means in Chemistry Print Steve McAlister / Getty Images Science Chemistry Chemical Laws Basics Molecules Periodic Table Projects & Experiments Scientific Method Biochemistry Physical Chemistry Medical Chemistry Chemistry In Everyday Life Famous Chemists Activities for Kids Abbreviations & Acronyms Biology Physics Geology Astronomy Weather & Climate By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Chemistry Expert Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on May 09, 2019 In chemistry, "concentrated" refers to a relatively large quantity of substance present in a unit amount of a mixture. Usually, this means there is a lot of a solute dissolved in a given solvent. A concentrated solution contains the maximum amount of solute that can be dissolved. Because solubility depends on temperature, a solution that is concentrated at one temperature may not be concentrated at a higher temperature. The term may also be used to compare two solutions, as in "this one is more concentrated than that one". Examples of Concentrated Solutions Read More Concentration Definition (Chemistry) By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. 12 M HCl is more concentrated than 1 M HCl or 0.1 M HCl. 12 M hydrochloric acid is also called concentrated sulfuric acid because it contains a minimum amount of water. When you stir salt into water until no more dissolves, you make a concentrated saline solution. Similarly, adding sugar until no more dissolves produces a concentrated sugar solution. When Concentrated Becomes Confusing While the concept of concentration is straightforward when a solid solute is dissolved into a liquid solvent, it can be confusing when mixing gases or liquids because it's less clear which substance is the solute and which is the solvent. Absolute alcohol is considered to be a concentrated alcohol solution because it contains a minimum amount of water. Oxygen gas is more concentrated in air than carbon dioxide gas. The concentration of both gases could be considered versus the total volume of air or with respect to the "solvent" gas, nitrogen. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Concentrated Definition (Chemistry)." ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/definition-of-concentrated-605843. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2020, August 27). Concentrated Definition (Chemistry). Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-concentrated-605843 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Concentrated Definition (Chemistry)." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-concentrated-605843 (accessed March 29, 2024). copy citation