Using Molarity to Determine Concentrations in a Chemical Reaction

What is molarity?

Molarity is a unit of concentration equivalent to moles of solute per liter of solution.

Answer:

Molarity is a measure of the concentration of a solution expressed as the number of moles of solute per liter of solution.

When we talk about molarity, we are referring to the amount of a substance (solute) dissolved in a given volume of solution. It is an important concept in chemistry as it helps us understand the strength of a solution and calculate the amounts of reactants needed in a chemical reaction.

To calculate molarity, we use the formula:

Molarity (M) = moles of solute / liters of solution

In the given example, we have a reaction between zinc hydroxide (Zn(OH)₂) and nitric acid (HNO₃). By following the steps provided, we can determine the molarity of nitric acid based on the given volumes and concentrations of the reactants.

Understanding molarity is crucial in various aspects of chemistry, such as stoichiometry, solution preparation, and titrations. It allows us to accurately measure and control the concentration of solutions in laboratory experiments and industrial processes.