What is the mass of solute (in grams) present in 500 mL of a 2.0 M NaCl solution?

• A. 58 g
• B. 29 g
• C. 2 g
• D. 100 g

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the given information: volume of solution = 500 mL, molarity (M) = 2.0 M, and the solute is NaCl.
2. Convert the volume from milliliters to liters because molarity is expressed in moles per liter: \(\text{Volume (L)} = \frac{500}{1000} = 0.5\) L.
3. Use the definition of molarity to find the number of moles of solute: \(\text{Moles of solute} = \text{Molarity} \times \text{Volume (L)} = 2.0 \times 0.5\).
4. Calculate the molar mass of NaCl by adding the atomic masses of sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl): \(\text{Molar mass of NaCl} = 23 + 35.5\) g/mol.
5. Find the mass of solute by multiplying the moles of solute by the molar mass: \(\text{Mass (g)} = \text{Moles} \times \text{Molar mass}\).