Dilution series planning
Serial Dilution Calculator
Free serial dilution calculator for preparing dilution series. Enter starting concentration, dilution factor, and number of steps to generate a clear concentration table.
Bench setup
Each step transfers a fraction of the previous tube/well into fresh diluent, giving you a clean log-spaced series for standards, kill curves, or titrations.
Assumptions
- Each step: transfer Vfinal/factor of the previous solution; pre-load the rest as diluent.
- Final volume per step is uniform; mix between transfers.
- Carry-over from the final well/tube is discarded.
Your serial dilution table will appear here
Cₙ = C₀ / factorⁿFormula reference
C₁ × V₁ = C₂ × V₂Cₙ = C₀ / factor^nExample: 1:10 serial dilution from 1 mM for 5 steps
- 1Set starting concentration to 1 mM.
- 2Set dilution factor to 10.
- 3Set number of steps to 5.
- 4The series is 100 µM, 10 µM, 1 µM, 100 nM, and 10 nM.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Confusing dilution factor with final concentration.
- Forgetting that each step compounds the previous dilution.
- Creating more steps than needed, which increases pipetting error.
Frequently asked questions
What is a 1:10 serial dilution?
A 1:10 serial dilution reduces concentration by a factor of 10 at every step. Each tube or well is one tenth the concentration of the previous one.
How many serial dilution steps should I use?
Use enough steps to cover the concentration range needed for your assay or standard curve, while avoiding unnecessary pipetting steps that add error.
Does LabTools calculate transfer volumes?
The current serial dilution tool focuses on concentrations and cumulative dilution. Transfer-volume planning is a good next feature for protocol-style output.
Ready to use the calculator?
Open the working LabTools calculator with units, validation, and prep-sheet output.