By Jordan Whitehouse – Updated March 24, 2022

Solubility refers to how readily a substance (the solute) dissolves in another (the solvent). For instance, when sugar dissolves in hot water, sugar is the solute and water is the solvent. The solubility percentage tells you how much of the solute has dissolved relative to the solvent, and it can be calculated with a simple formula.

Step 1 – Specify the Solute Mass

Write down the amount of solute you plan to dissolve. For example, 10 g of table salt.

Step 2 – Specify the Solvent Mass

Record the mass of the solvent you will use. In this case, 60 g of warm water.

Step 3 – Compute the Ratio

Divide the solute mass by the solvent mass. 10 g ÷ 60 g = 0.167.

Step 4 – Convert to Percentage

Multiply the ratio by 100 to express it as a percentage. 0.167 × 100 = 16.7%. Thus, the solution contains 16.7 % solute by mass.

What You’ll Need

• Pen or pencil
• Paper
• Scientific calculator