How Much Nitric Acid Solution Do You Need?

Question:

If an aqueous solution of nitric acid has a density of 1.430 g/mL and contains 36.00% nitric acid by mass, how many mL of the solution would be needed to provide 150.20 grams of nitric acid?

Answer:

The calculated volume of the nitric acid solution needed to supply 150.20 grams of nitric acid is about 291.8 mL.

To determine the volume of the nitric acid solution required, we first need to understand the concept of mass percentage. Mass percentage is the amount of solute (in this case, nitric acid) present in a solution relative to the total mass of the solution, expressed as a percentage.

In this scenario, the solution contains 36.00% nitric acid by mass, meaning that for every 100 grams of the solution, 36.00 grams are nitric acid. Given that the density of the solution is 1.430 g/mL, we can calculate the volume of the solution needed to provide 150.20 grams of nitric acid.

By setting up a proportion using the mass percentage and the desired mass of nitric acid, we find that approximately 291.8 mL of the nitric acid solution is required to supply 150.20 grams of nitric acid. This calculation ensures the proper amount of nitric acid is obtained for the intended application.