If a bottle of vinegar contains 5.45% acetic acid by mass, how many grams of acetic acid are present in 250 g of vinegar?

• A. 13.6 g
• B. 22.7 g
• C. 45.5 g
• D. 5.45 g

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the given information: the vinegar contains 5.45% acetic acid by mass, and the total mass of the vinegar is 250 g.
2. Understand that percent by mass means grams of solute (acetic acid) per 100 grams of solution (vinegar). So, 5.45% means 5.45 g of acetic acid in every 100 g of vinegar.
3. Set up the proportion to find the mass of acetic acid in 250 g of vinegar using the formula: \(\text{mass of acetic acid} = \left(\frac{\text{percent by mass}}{100}\right) \times \text{total mass of vinegar}\).
4. Substitute the known values into the formula: \(\text{mass of acetic acid} = \left(\frac{5.45}{100}\right) \times 250\) g.
5. Calculate the product to find the mass of acetic acid present in the 250 g of vinegar.