% Strength Calculator
Standard pharmaceutical calculation, laboratory analysis and research tools.
Calculate pharmaceutical percentage strength for common w/v, w/w and v/v expressions used in solutions, preparations and dispensing calculations.
What Is Percentage Strength?
Percentage strength expresses the quantity of solute or active ingredient relative to a specified quantity of preparation. The interpretation depends on whether the expression is w/v, w/w or v/v.
% w/v Strength
Percentage weight by volume expresses grams of solute present in 100 mL of solution. It is commonly used for pharmaceutical liquid preparations and aqueous solutions.
% w/w Strength
Percentage weight by weight expresses grams of solute or ingredient present in 100 g of preparation. It is commonly encountered in creams, ointments and other semisolid or solid preparations.
% v/v Strength
Percentage volume by volume expresses millilitres of one liquid component present in 100 mL of final preparation.
Pharmaceutical Applications
Percentage-strength calculations are used in formulation, compounding, dispensing, laboratory preparation and pharmaceutical calculations involving solutions and preparations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 5% w/v mean?
It generally means 5 g of solute in a final volume of 100 mL of solution.
What is the difference between w/w and w/v?
w/w relates mass to final mass, whereas w/v relates mass of solute to final volume.
When is v/v used?
v/v is commonly used when expressing the volume of one liquid component in a final liquid preparation.