Serial Dilution Calculator

Easily prepare dilution series—stepwise concentrations and volumes, auto-calculated.

How to Use the Serial Dilution Calculator

This Serial Dilution Calculator is a scientific tool designed for microbiology, molecular biology, and analytical chemistry labs. It helps create accurate stepwise dilution series by auto-calculating concentrations and volumes at each stage. This tool saves time and eliminates manual calculation errors while preparing solutions for experiments like bacterial plating, PCR reactions, and standard curve generation.

Enter Starting Values – Begin by inputting your initial concentration (C₀) and volume (V₀). Choose appropriate units like M, mg/mL, ng/mL, or µM from the dropdown menus. This ensures accurate conversions during calculation.

Set Dilution Factor and Steps – Define how much the sample is diluted in each step. The default is a 10-fold dilution, common in microbiology. Also, enter how many dilutions you need (usually 6 to 10 tubes).

Specify Transfer Volume – Input the volume transferred from one tube to the next. You can select µL or mL depending on your experimental protocol. The tool calculates how much diluent is added to each tube based on this input.

Click Calculate – After entering all values, press the "Calculate" button. The tool generates a complete dilution table showing concentration, volume, and preparation instructions for each tube in the series.

Fill Sample Data – Not sure where to start? Use the "Fill Sample Data" button to auto-load example values and understand how the dilution workflow operates in real lab conditions.

This calculator simplifies serial dilution preparation by calculating precise concentrations and volumes for each tube in a dilution series. It's particularly useful for plate count experiments, MIC testing, or absorbance-based assays. Designed to support unit flexibility and allow custom concentration types, it eliminates the need for manual spreadsheets or lab math.