Calculate the grams or milliliters of solute needed to prepare the following:
c. 250. mL of a 10.0% (v/v) acetic acid solution

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the problem: A 10.0% (v/v) solution means that 10.0 mL of solute (acetic acid) is present in every 100 mL of solution. You are tasked with determining how many milliliters of acetic acid are needed to prepare 250. mL of this solution.
2. Set up the proportion based on the definition of percent by volume: \( \frac{\text{Volume of solute (mL)}}{\text{Volume of solution (mL)}} = \frac{10.0}{100} \).
3. Substitute the given total solution volume (250. mL) into the proportion: \( \frac{\text{Volume of solute (mL)}}{250.} = \frac{10.0}{100} \).
4. Solve for the volume of solute (mL) by multiplying both sides of the equation by 250.: \( \text{Volume of solute (mL)} = \frac{10.0}{100} \times 250. \).
5. Perform the calculation to find the volume of acetic acid needed. The result will be in milliliters, as the problem specifies a (v/v) solution.

Key Concepts

Concentration

Concentration refers to the amount of solute present in a given volume of solution. In this case, a 10.0% (v/v) acetic acid solution means that there are 10 milliliters of acetic acid in every 100 milliliters of the solution. Understanding concentration is crucial for calculating the required volume or mass of solute needed to achieve a specific solution concentration.

Volume and Volume Percent

Volume percent (v/v) is a way to express the concentration of a solution, indicating the volume of solute divided by the total volume of the solution, multiplied by 100. For a 10.0% (v/v) acetic acid solution, this means that 10 mL of acetic acid is present in 100 mL of solution. This concept is essential for determining how much acetic acid is needed to prepare a specific volume of solution.

Dilution

Dilution is the process of reducing the concentration of a solute in a solution, typically by adding more solvent. In preparing a solution, understanding how to dilute a concentrated solution to achieve the desired concentration is important. For the given problem, knowing how to calculate the amount of acetic acid needed for a 250 mL solution at 10.0% (v/v) involves applying dilution principles.