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{{DISPLAYTITLE:Parts-per notation}}

'''Parts-per notation''' is a set of [[pseudounit]]s used to describe small values of [[dimensionless quantity|dimensionless quantities]], such as [[mass fraction]] or [[mole fraction]]. These notations are commonly used in fields such as [[chemistry]], [[physics]], and [[engineering]] to express concentrations and other ratios in a clear and concise manner.

==Notation==
Parts-per notation is used to express very small quantities of one substance in relation to another. The most common forms of parts-per notation include:

* '''Parts per million (ppm)''': This denotes one part per 1,000,000 parts, and is equivalent to 1 milligram per liter (mg/L) in water solutions.
* '''Parts per billion (ppb)''': This denotes one part per 1,000,000,000 parts, and is equivalent to 1 microgram per liter (µg/L) in water solutions.
* '''Parts per trillion (ppt)''': This denotes one part per 1,000,000,000,000 parts, and is equivalent to 1 nanogram per liter (ng/L) in water solutions.
* '''Parts per quadrillion (ppq)''': This denotes one part per 1,000,000,000,000,000 parts, and is equivalent to 1 picogram per liter (pg/L) in water solutions.

==Applications==
Parts-per notation is widely used in various scientific disciplines to express concentrations and ratios. Some common applications include:

* In [[environmental science]], parts-per notation is used to describe the concentration of pollutants in air, water, and soil.
* In [[chemistry]], it is used to express the concentration of solutes in solutions.
* In [[pharmacology]], it is used to describe the concentration of drugs in biological fluids.

==Examples==

===Environmental Science===
In environmental science, parts-per notation is crucial for reporting the concentration of pollutants. For example, the concentration of [[carbon dioxide]] in the atmosphere is often reported in parts per million (ppm).

[[File:Fluorescein_(2).jpg|Fluorescein dye in water|thumb|right]]

===Chemistry===
In chemistry, parts-per notation is used to express the concentration of a solute in a solution. For instance, a solution with a concentration of 1 ppm of a solute means that there is 1 milligram of solute per liter of solution.

===Pharmacology===
In pharmacology, the concentration of a drug in a patient's blood might be expressed in parts per billion (ppb) to indicate very low concentrations that are still pharmacologically active.

==Advantages and Limitations==

===Advantages===
Parts-per notation provides a simple and intuitive way to express very small concentrations and ratios. It is particularly useful when dealing with trace amounts of substances.

===Limitations===
One limitation of parts-per notation is that it can be ambiguous if the context is not specified. For example, 1 ppm could refer to a mass ratio, volume ratio, or mole ratio, depending on the context.

==Related pages==
* [[Concentration]]
* [[Molarity]]
* [[Dilution]]
* [[Mass fraction]]

[[File:Image-Olympic_Pool_Munich_1972,_color_adj.jpg|Olympic Pool Munich 1972|thumb|left]]

[[Category:Measurement]]
[[Category:Units of measurement]]

Parts-per notation - Revision history

Prab: CSV import