As is clear from its name, molality involves moles. Boy, does it!

The molality of a solution is calculated by taking the moles of solute and dividing by
the kilograms of solvent.

This is probably easiest to explain with examples.

Example #1: Suppose we had 1.00 mole of sucrose (it's about 342.3 grams) and
proceeded to mix it into exactly 1.00 liter water. It would dissolve and make sugar
water. We keep adding water, dissolving and stirring until all the solid was gone. We
then made sure everything was well-mixed.

What would be the molality of this solution? Notice that my one liter of water weighs
1000 grams (density of water = 1.00 g / mL and 1000 mL of water in a liter). 1000 g
is 1.00 kg, so:

The answer is 1.00 mol/kg. Notice that both the units of mol and kg remain. Neither
cancels.

A symbol for mol/kg is often used. It is a lower-case m and is often in italics, m. Some
textbooks also put in a dash, like this: 1.00-m. However, if you write 1.00 m for the
answer, without the italics, then that usually is correct because the context calls for a
molality. Having said that, however, be aware that often m is used for mass, so be
careful. (A lower-case m is also used for meter, but the context should be clear that m
means molality.) Maybe including the dash would be wise if there might be a
potential misunderstanding

When you say it out loud, say this: "one point oh oh molal." You don't have to say the
dash.

And never forget this: replace the m with mol/kg when you do calculations. The m is
a symbol that stands for mol/kg. It is not the actual unit.
Example #2: Suppose you had 2.00 moles of solute dissolved into 1.00 L of solvent.
What's the molality?

The answer is 2.00 m.

Notice that no mention of a specific substance is mentioned at all. The molarity would
be the same. It doesn't matter if it is sucrose, sodium chloride or any other substance.
One mole of anything contains 6.022 x 1023 units.

Example #3: What is the molality when 0.75 mol is dissolved in 2.50 L of solvent?

The answer is 0.300 m.

Now, let's change from using moles to grams. This is much more common. After all,
chemists use balances to weigh things and balances give grams, NOT moles.

Example #4: Suppose you had 58.44 grams of NaCl and you dissolved it in exactly
2.00 kg of pure water (the solvent). What would be the molality of the solution?

The solution to this problem involves two steps.

Step One: convert grams to moles.

Step Two: divide moles by kg of solvent to get molality.

In the above problem, 58.44 grams/mol is the molar mass of NaCl.

Step One: 58.44 g / 58.44 gr/mol = 1.00 mol.

Step Two: 1.00 mol / 2.00 kg = 0.500 mol/kg (or 0.500 m).

Sometimes, a book will write out the word "molal," as in 0.500-molal.

Example #5: Calculate the molality of 25.0 grams of KBr dissolved in 750.0 mL pure
water.

Example #6: 80.0 grams of glucose (C6H12O6, mol. wt = 180. g/mol) is dissolved
in1.00 kg of water. Calculate the molality.

Example #7: Calcuate the molality when 75.0 grams of MgCl2 is dissolved in 500.0 g
of solvent.

Example #8: 100.0 grams of sucrose (C12H22O11, mol. wt. = 342.3 g/mol) is dissolved
in 1.50 L of water. What is the molality?
Example #9: 49.8 grams of KI is dissolved in 1.00 kg of solvent. What is the
molality?

In the molarity tutorial the phrase "of solution" kept showing up. The molarity
definition is based on the volume of the solution. This makes molarity a temperature-
dependent definition. However, the molality definition does not have a volume in it
and so is independent of any temperature changes. This will make molality a very
useful concentration unit in the area of colligative properties.

Lastly, it is very common for students to confuse the two definitions of molarity and
molality. The words differ by only one letter and sometimes that small difference is
overlooked.

Problem #1: A solution of H2SO4 with a molal concentration of 8.010 m has a density
of 1.354 g/mL. What is the molar concentration of this solution?

Solution:

8.010 m means 8.010 mol / 1 kg of solvent

8.010 mol times 98.0768 g/mol = 785.6 g of solute

785.6 g + 1000 g = 1785.6 g total for solute and solvent in the 8.010 m solution.

1785.6 g divided by 1.354 g/mL = 1318.76 mL

8.01 moles / 1.31876 L = 6.0739 M

6.074 M (to four sig figs)

Problem #2: A sulfuric acid solution containing 571.4 g of H2SO4 per liter of solution
has a density of 1.329 g/cm3. Calculate the molality of H2SO4 in this solution

Solution:
1 L of solution = 1000 mL = 1000 cm3

1.329 g/cm3 times 1000 cm3 = 1329 g (the mass of the entire solution)

1329 g minus 571.4 g = 757.6 g = 0.7576 kg (the mass of water in the solution)

571.4 g / 98.0768 g/mol = 5.826 mol of H2SO4

5.826 mol / 0.7576 kg = 7.690 m

Problem #3: An aqueous solution is prepared by diluting 3.30 mL acetone (d = 0.789

g/mL) with water to a final volume of 75.0 mL. The density of the solution is 0.993
g/mL. What is the molarity, molality and mole fraction of acetone in this solution?

Solution:

1) Preliminary calculations:

mass of acetone: (3.30 mL) (0.789 g/mL) = 2.6037 g

moles of acetone: 2.6037 g / 58.0794 g/mol = 0.04483 mol <--- need to look up
formula of acetone
mass of solution: (75.0 mL) (0.993 g/mL) = 74.475 g
mass of water in the solution: 74.475 g - 2.6037 g = 71.8713 g
moles of water: 71.8713 g / 18.015 g/mol = 3.9896 mol

2) Molarity:

0.04483 mol / 0.0750 L = 0.598 M

3) Molality:

0.04483 mol / 0.0718713 kg = 0.624 m

4) Mole fraction:

0.04483 mol / (0.04483 mol + 3.9896 mol) = 0.0111

Problem #4: Calculate the molality of 15.00 M HCl with a density of 1.0745 g/cm3

Solution:
1) Let us assume 1000. mL of solution are on hand. In that liter of 15-molar solution,
there are:

15.00 mol/L times 1.000 L = 15.00 mole of HCl

15.00 mol times 36.4609 g/mol = 546.9135 g of HCl

2) Use the density to get mass of solution

1000. mL times 1.0745 g/cm3 = 1074.5 g of solution

1074.5 g minus 546.9135 g = 527.5865 g of water = 0.5275865 kg

3) Calculate molality:

15.00 mol / 0.5275865 kg = 28.43 m (to four sig figs)

Note: the mole fractions of water and HCl can also be calculated with the above data.
There are 29.286 moles of water and 15.00 moles of HCl. You may work out the mole
fractions on your own.

Problem #5: You are given 450.0 g of a 0.7500 molal solution of acetone dissolved in
water. How many grams of acetone are in this amount of solution?

Solution:

0.7500 molal means 0.7500 mole of solute (the acetone) per 1000 g of water

mass of acetone ---> 58.0794 g/mol times 0.7500 mol = 43.56 g

mass of solution ---> 1000 g + 43.56 g = 1043.56 g

43.56 is to 1043.56 as x is to 450

x = 18.78 g

Problem #6: A 0.391 m solution of the solute hexane dissolved in the solvent
benzene is available. Calculate the mass (g) of the solution that must be taken to
obtain 247 g of hexane (C6H14).
Solution:

0.391 mol times 86.1766 g/mol = 33.6950 g

33.6950 g + 1000 g = 1033.6950 g

In other words, every 1033.6950 g of 0.391 m solution delivers 33.6950 g of hexane

33.6950 is to 1033.6950 as 247 is to x

x = 7577.46446 g

to three sig figs, 7.58 kg of solution

Problem #7: Calculate the mass of the solute C6H6 and the mass of the solvent
tetrahydrofuran that should be added to prepare 1.63 kg of a solution that is 1.42 m.

Solution:

1.42 m means 1.42 mole of C6H6 in 1 kg of tetrahydrofuran

1.42 mol times 78.1134 g/mol = 110.921 g

110.921 g + 1000 g = 1110.921 g

110.921 is to 1110.921 as x is to 1630

x = 162.75 g

To check, do this:

162.75 g / 78.1134 g/mol = 2.08351 mol

1630 g - 162.75 g = 1467.25 g

2.08351 mol / 1.46725 kg = 1.42 m

Problem #8: What is the molality of NaCl in an aqueous solution in which the mole
fraction of NaCl is 0.100?
Solution:

A mole fraction of 0.100 for NaCl means the mole fraction of water is 0.900.

Let us assume a solution is present made up of 0.100 mole of NaCl and 0.900 mole of
water.

mass of water present ---> 0.900 mol times 18.015 g/mol = 16.2135 g

molality of solution ---> 0.100 mol / 0.0162135 kg = 6.1677 m

to three sig figs, 6.17 m

Problem #9: Calculate the molality (m) of a 7.55 kg sample of a solution of the solute
CH2Cl2 (molar mass = 84.93 g/mol) dissolved in the solvent acetone (CH3COH3C) if
the sample contains 929 g of methylene chloride

Solution:

mass solvent ---> 7550 g - 929 g = 6621 g = 6.621 kg

moles solute ---> 929 g/ 84.93 g/mol = 10.9384 mol

molality = 10.9384 mol / 6.621 kg = 1.65 m

Problem #10: What is the molality of a 3.75 M H2SO4 solution with a density of
1.230 g/mL?

Solution:

1) Determine mass of 1.00 L of solution:

1000 mL x 1.230 g/mL = 1230 g

2) Determine mass of 3.75 mol of H2SO4:

3.75 mol x 98.0768 g/mol = 367.788 g

3) Determine mass of solvent:

1230 - 367.788 = 862.212 g

4) Determine molality:

3.75 mol / 0.862212 kg = 4.35 molal (to three sig figs)