When discussing the concentration of a chemical in water, there are two terms that you may hear: “parts per million” (PPM) and “parts per million volume” (PPMV). While they sound similar, they actually mean different things. In this blog post, we will discuss the difference between PPM and PPMV, and how to use them correctly.
What is PPM?
PPM is a unit of concentration. It stands for “parts per million” and it’s used to measure very small concentrations of substances. For example, you might use PPM to measure the concentration of pollution in a water sample. PPM is also sometimes abbreviated as ppb, which stands for “parts per billion.” PPM is a relatively easy unit to understand. Basically, it’s just a way of expressing how much of something is present in a given sample. If you have a PPM concentration of 20, that means that there are 20 parts of the substance present for every million parts of the sample. PPM is a fairly common unit, especially in scientific and technical contexts. However, it’s important to be aware that it can be confusing when used in other contexts, such as nutrition labeling. When used in this context, PPM can be misunderstood to mean “percentage by weight,” which is a different quantity entirely. So, if you’re ever confused by PPM, just remember that it’s a unit of concentration and try to determine what substance is being measured.
What is PPMV?
PPMV is a unit of measurement used to denote the concentration of a gas in a given volume of air. PPMV stands for “parts per million volume” and is typically used to measure concentrations of pollutants or atmospheric gases. One PPMV is equivalent to one milligram of gas per cubic meter of air. PPMV is a relatively small unit of measurement, so concentrations are often expressed in micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) or nanograms per cubic meter (ng/m3). PPMV is a useful unit of measurement for many applications, including monitoring atmospheric pollution and measuring greenhouse gas emissions.
Difference between PPM and PPMV
PPM and PPMV both represent concentrations of particles in a gas, but they differ in the units used. PPM is short for “parts per million,” while PPMV stands for “parts per million by volume.” With PPM, the concentration is expressed in terms of the number of particles present per million units of gas. PPMV, on the other hand, is a measure of the volume occupied by particles per million units of gas. Because PPMV takes into account the size of the particles, it is generally a more accurate representation of concentration than PPM. However, PPM is often used for convenience because it is easier to calculate.
Conclusion
In order to ensure accurate measurements, it is important to understand the difference between PPM and PPMV. When using PPM, the concentration of a substance is measured in relation to the total volume of liquid. PPMV, on the other hand, measures the concentration of a substance in relation to the total amount of gas present. By understanding these differences, you can make sure that your measurements are as accurate as possible.
