Term: mixing ratio https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.M03948 Definition: In meteorology, the dimensionless ratio of the mass of a substance (such as water vapour) in an air parcel to the mass of the remaining substances in the air parcel. For trace substances, this is approximated by the ratio of the mass of the substance to the mass of air. However, in the case of water vapour the mass of dry air is used. In atmospheric chemistry, mixing ratios (molecular, molar, by volume, as well as by weight) are used to describe relative concentrations of atmospheric trace gases and impurities. Related Terms: 1) weight (http://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.W06668). Source: PAC, 1990, 62, 2167. 'Glossary of atmospheric chemistry terms (Recommendations 1990)' on page 2202 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199062112167) Citation: 'mixing ratio' in IUPAC Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 5th ed. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry; 2025. Online version 5.0.0, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1351/goldbook.M03948 License: The IUPAC Gold Book is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike CC BY-SA 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) for individual terms. Disclaimer: The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) is continuously reviewing and, where needed, updating terms in the Compendium of Chemical Terminology (the IUPAC Gold Book). Users of these terms are encouraged to include the version of a term with its use and to check regularly for updates to term definitions that you are using.