How do you write conversion factors that correspond to the following concentration: 0.15% (v/v) acetic acid?

1 Answer
Nov 6, 2016

Here's how you can do that.

Explanation:

A 0.15%"v/v" concentration means that the given solution contains "0.15 mL" of solute for every "100 mL" of solution.

In this case, your solution will contain "0.15 ML" of acetic acid in every "199 mL" of solution. You can thus say that the volume by volume percent concentration can be written as

0.15%"v/v" = "0.15 mL acetic acid"/"100 mL solution"

To use this as a conversion factor, rearrange keeping in mind that

  • what is given by the probme goes on the bottom, i.e. as the denomiantor
  • what must be calcualted goes on top, i.e. as the numerator

So, let's say that you want to find the amount of solute present in "250 mL" of acetic acid solution. The conversion factor will be

"0.15 mL acetic acid"/"100 mL solution" color(white)(color(black)(larr)/color(black)(larr)) "what is needed goes on top"/"what is given goes on the bottom"

You will have

250 color(red)(cancel(color(black)("mL solution"))) * "0.15 mL acetic acid"/(100color(red)(cancel(color(black)("mL solution")))) = "0.38 mL acetic acid"

Now let's say that you want to figure out what volume of solution will contain "0.035 mL" of acetic acid. The conversion factor will be

"100 mL solution"/"0.15 mL acetic acid" color(white)(color(black)(larr)/color(black)(larr)) "what is needed goes on top"/"what is given goes on the bottom"

You will have

0.035 color(red)(cancel(color(black)("mL acetic acid"))) * "100 mL solution"/(0.15 color(red)(cancel(color(black)("mL acetic acid")))) = "23 mL solution"