By Oxana Fox
Updated Aug 30, 2022
Magnesium chloride (MgCl₂) is a highly soluble inorganic salt that finds widespread use in de‑icing, biochemistry, and even culinary applications. This guide walks you through preparing a precise 10 % w/v magnesium chloride solution, ideal for road maintenance or laboratory experiments.
Use the formula: Percent concentration = mass of solute ÷ (mass of solute + mass of solvent). For a 400 mL solution at 10 %:
mass (MgCl₂) = (400 × 0.10) ÷ (1 – 0.10) = 44.44 g.
Here, 0.10 represents 10 % in decimal form.
Use a calibrated scale to measure 44.44 g of magnesium chloride accurately.
Pour 400 mL of distilled or de‑ionized water into a clean beaker.
Gradually add the weighed magnesium chloride to the water while stirring gently.
Stir the mixture with a spoon or a magnetic stirrer until the salt is fully dissolved, which should take a few minutes. If needed, gently heat the solution to 30–35 °C to expedite dissolution.
