An acetaminophen suspension for infants contains 80 mg/0.80 mL suspension. The recommended dose is 15 mg/kg body weight. How many mL of this suspension should be given to an infant weighing 14 lb? (Assume two significant figures.)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Convert the infant's weight from pounds to kilograms. Since 1 lb is approximately equal to 0.453592 kg, you can multiply the infant's weight in pounds by this conversion factor to get the weight in kilograms.
2. Step 2: Calculate the recommended dose of acetaminophen for the infant. Multiply the infant's weight in kilograms by the recommended dose of 15 mg/kg.
3. Step 3: Determine the concentration of the acetaminophen suspension. The problem states that there are 80 mg of acetaminophen in 0.80 mL of suspension. This means that the concentration is 80 mg/0.80 mL.
4. Step 4: Calculate the volume of suspension needed to provide the recommended dose. Divide the recommended dose (in mg) by the concentration of the suspension (in mg/mL).
5. Step 5: The result from step 4 is the volume of suspension (in mL) that should be given to the infant. Remember to consider the significant figures in your final answer.

Key Concepts

Dosage Calculation

Dosage calculation involves determining the appropriate amount of medication to administer based on a patient's weight. In this case, the recommended dose of acetaminophen is given in mg per kg of body weight, necessitating a conversion from pounds to kilograms to accurately calculate the required dosage for the infant.

Unit Conversion

Unit conversion is essential in chemistry and pharmacology to ensure that measurements are consistent and compatible. Since the infant's weight is provided in pounds, it must be converted to kilograms (1 lb = 0.453592 kg) to align with the dosage recommendation of mg/kg, allowing for accurate dosage determination.

Concentration of Suspension

The concentration of a suspension indicates how much active ingredient is present in a given volume of solution. In this case, the acetaminophen suspension has a concentration of 80 mg in 0.80 mL, which can be used to calculate how many mL are needed to deliver the calculated dose based on the infant's weight.