A 10.0 M aqueous solution of NaOH has a density of 1.33 g/cm3 at 25 C. Calculate the mass percent of the NaOH in the solution (a) 53.2% (b) 30.1% (c) 40.0% (d) 13.3%

Verified step by step guidance

1. Determine the molar mass of NaOH, which is the sum of the atomic masses of Na, O, and H.
2. Calculate the mass of NaOH in 1 liter of solution using the molarity (10.0 M) and the molar mass of NaOH.
3. Find the total mass of the solution by using the density (1.33 g/cm^3) and the volume (1 liter = 1000 cm^3).
4. Calculate the mass percent of NaOH by dividing the mass of NaOH by the total mass of the solution and multiplying by 100.
5. Compare the calculated mass percent with the given options to determine the correct answer.

Key Concepts

Molarity

Molarity (M) is a measure of concentration defined as the number of moles of solute per liter of solution. In this question, the 10.0 M NaOH solution indicates that there are 10 moles of NaOH in every liter of the solution. Understanding molarity is crucial for calculating the mass of solute present in a given volume of solution.

Density

Density is the mass of a substance per unit volume, typically expressed in grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm³). The density of the NaOH solution is given as 1.33 g/cm³, which allows us to convert the volume of the solution into mass. This conversion is essential for determining the mass percent of NaOH in the solution.

Mass Percent

Mass percent is a way of expressing the concentration of a component in a mixture, calculated as the mass of the solute divided by the total mass of the solution, multiplied by 100. To find the mass percent of NaOH, we need to calculate the mass of NaOH in the solution and the total mass of the solution, which includes both the solute and the solvent.