How many grams of sodium chloride (NaCl) are required to prepare 500.0 mL of a 0.100 M solution?

• A. 5.85 g
• B. 2.92 g
• C. 1.00 g
• D. 0.50 g

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the given information: volume of solution = 500.0 mL, molarity (M) = 0.100 mol/L, and the solute is sodium chloride (NaCl).
2. Convert the volume from milliliters to liters because molarity is expressed in moles per liter: \(\text{Volume (L)} = \frac{500.0\ \text{mL}}{1000}\).
3. Use the molarity definition to find the number of moles of NaCl needed: \(\text{moles} = M \times \text{Volume (L)}\).
4. Calculate the molar mass of NaCl by adding the atomic masses of sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl): \(\text{Molar mass of NaCl} = \text{atomic mass of Na} + \text{atomic mass of Cl}\).
5. Convert moles of NaCl to grams using the molar mass: \(\text{mass (g)} = \text{moles} \times \text{molar mass (g/mol)}\).