Final answer:
The strength of a solution with equal parts water and solute is expressed as a 1:1 ratio or as a 50% concentration. This means that the solute makes up half of the total solution volume or mass.
Step-by-step explanation:
When discussing the strength of a solution that contains 1 part water and 1 part solute, it refers to the concentration of the solute within the solution. The concentration can be expressed in terms of a ratio and as a percentage.
In terms of a ratio, the solution's strength is 1:1, meaning there is one part of solute for every one part of water. Expressed as a percentage, this equals 50%, because the solute makes up half of the total solution (1 part out of 2 parts in total). To calculate this percentage, you would divide the volume or mass of the solute by the total volume or mass of the solution and multiply by 100.
So if you have 1 liter of solute mixed with 1 liter of water, the volume of the solute divided by the total volume of the solution is 1/2, or 0.5. When you multiply by 100 to express this as a percentage, you get 50%. Similarly, if you have 100 grams of solute mixed with 100 grams of water, the mass of the solute divided by the total mass of the solution is also 100/200, which is 0.5, or 50% when converted into a percentage.