How many grams of solute would you use to prepare each of the following solutions? (a) 250.0 mL of 0.600 M ethyl alcohol (C₂H₆O)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Determine the molar mass of ethyl alcohol (C_2H_6O) by adding the atomic masses of its constituent atoms: 2 carbon atoms, 6 hydrogen atoms, and 1 oxygen atom.
2. Use the formula for molarity (M) which is M = \frac{moles\ of\ solute}{liters\ of\ solution} to find the moles of ethyl alcohol needed.
3. Convert the volume of the solution from milliliters to liters by dividing by 1000.
4. Calculate the moles of ethyl alcohol required using the given molarity and the converted volume in liters.
5. Multiply the moles of ethyl alcohol by its molar mass to find the mass in grams of the solute needed.

Key Concepts

Molarity (M)

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 (mol/L). To calculate the amount of solute needed for a solution, you can use the formula: Molarity (M) = moles of solute / volume of solution in liters.

Moles of Solute

A mole is a unit in chemistry that represents 6.022 x 10²³ entities, such as atoms or molecules. To find the number of moles of solute required for a solution, you can rearrange the molarity formula: moles of solute = Molarity (M) × volume of solution (L). This calculation is essential for determining how much solute to weigh out.

Molar Mass

Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a substance, typically expressed in grams per mole (g/mol). It is calculated by summing the atomic masses of all atoms in a molecule. Knowing the molar mass of the solute allows you to convert moles of solute into grams, which is necessary for preparing a solution.