Concentrations of substances dissolved in solution are often expressed as mass per unit volume. For example, normal human blood has a cholesterol concentration of about 200 mg/100 mL. Express this concentration in the following units. (e) How much total blood cholesterol in grams does a per-son have if the normal blood volume in the body is 5 L?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Convert the cholesterol concentration from mg/100 mL to g/L. Start by noting that 1 g = 1000 mg and 1 L = 1000 mL.
2. Use the conversion factor to convert 200 mg/100 mL to g/L. This involves multiplying by the appropriate factors to cancel out the units of mg and mL.
3. Calculate the total amount of cholesterol in grams for the entire blood volume. Use the concentration in g/L and multiply by the total blood volume in liters (5 L).
4. Set up the equation: Total cholesterol (g) = Concentration (g/L) * Blood volume (L).
5. Solve the equation to find the total cholesterol in grams.

Key Concepts

Concentration Units

Concentration is a measure of how much solute is present in a given volume of solvent or solution. Common units include mass per unit volume, such as mg/mL or g/L. Understanding how to convert between these units is essential for solving problems related to concentrations in solutions.

Volume Conversion

In chemistry, it is often necessary to convert between different units of volume. For example, 1 liter (L) is equivalent to 1000 milliliters (mL). When calculating total amounts based on concentration, ensuring that the volume units match those of the concentration is crucial for accurate results.

Mass Calculation

To find the total mass of a substance in a solution, you can use the formula: mass = concentration × volume. This relationship allows you to calculate the total mass of a solute when you know its concentration and the volume of the solution, which is key to answering questions about total amounts in a given volume.