Suppose you have 3.00 g of powdered zinc metal, 3.00g of powdered silver metal and 500.0 mL of a 0.2 M copper(II) nitrate solution. (d) What is the molarity of Cu²⁺ ions in the resulting solution?

Verified step by step guidance

1. insert step 1> Calculate the moles of copper(II) nitrate in the solution using the formula: moles = molarity \times volume. Remember to convert the volume from mL to L.
2. insert step 2> Write the balanced chemical equations for the reactions of zinc and silver with copper(II) nitrate.
3. insert step 3> Determine the limiting reactant by calculating the moles of zinc and silver and comparing them to the stoichiometry of the reactions.
4. insert step 4> Calculate the moles of Cu^{2+} ions that react based on the limiting reactant and the stoichiometry of the reaction.
5. insert step 5> Subtract the moles of Cu^{2+} ions that reacted from the initial moles of Cu^{2+} ions to find the moles of Cu^{2+} ions remaining. Then, calculate the molarity of Cu^{2+} ions in the resulting solution by dividing the remaining moles by the total volume of the solution in liters.

Key Concepts

Molarity

Molarity is a measure of concentration defined as the number of moles of solute per liter of solution. It is expressed in moles per liter (M). To calculate molarity, one must know the amount of solute in grams, convert it to moles using the molar mass, and then divide by the volume of the solution in liters.

Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry involves the calculation of reactants and products in chemical reactions. It is based on the balanced chemical equation, which shows the ratio of moles of each substance involved. Understanding stoichiometry is essential for determining how much of each reactant is consumed and how much product is formed, which is crucial for calculating concentrations after a reaction.

Copper(II) Nitrate Dissociation

Copper(II) nitrate (Cu(NO3)2) dissociates in solution to release Cu2+ ions and nitrate ions (NO3-). The dissociation is complete in a strong electrolyte like copper(II) nitrate, meaning that the concentration of Cu2+ ions in the solution will be equal to the initial molarity of the copper(II) nitrate solution, assuming no other reactions consume the Cu2+ ions.