A 500mL of Mercury solution was prepared by mixing 2.45g of Mercury chloride and 4.68g of Mercury sulfate in one container then dissolve and complete to volume with distilled water. What is the final concentration Mercury in the final solution? Express concentration in Molarity to 4 s.f and % (w/v) to 3 s.f.

1 answer

To find the final concentration of mercury in the solution, we first need to determine the total amount of mercury from both mercury chloride (HgCl₂) and mercury sulfate (HgSO₄).

  1. Calculating the molar mass of mercury compounds:

    • Mercury chloride (HgCl₂):
      • Hg: 200.59 g/mol
      • Cl: 35.45 g/mol (2 Cl)
      • Molar mass of HgCl₂ = 200.59 + 2(35.45) = 200.59 + 70.90 = 271.49 g/mol
    • Mercury sulfate (HgSO₄):
      • Hg: 200.59 g/mol
      • S: 32.07 g/mol
      • O: 16.00 g/mol (4 O)
      • Molar mass of HgSO₄ = 200.59 + 32.07 + 4(16.00) = 200.59 + 32.07 + 64.00 = 296.66 g/mol
  2. Calculate the moles of mercury in each compound:

    • From mercury chloride: \[ \text{Moles of HgCl₂} = \frac{2.45, \text{g}}{271.49, \text{g/mol}} \approx 0.00903, \text{mol} \] Since each molecule of HgCl₂ contains 1 mercury atom: \[ \text{Moles of Hg from HgCl₂} = 0.00903, \text{mol} \]

    • From mercury sulfate: \[ \text{Moles of HgSO₄} = \frac{4.68, \text{g}}{296.66, \text{g/mol}} \approx 0.01576, \text{mol} \] Since each molecule of HgSO₄ also contains 1 mercury atom: \[ \text{Moles of Hg from HgSO₄} = 0.01576, \text{mol} \]

  3. Total moles of mercury in the solution: \[ \text{Total moles of Hg} = 0.00903 + 0.01576 = 0.02479, \text{mol} \]

  4. Calculating the molarity of the final solution: The total volume of the solution is 500 mL, which is 0.500 L. \[ \text{Molarity (M)} = \frac{\text{Moles of solute}}{\text{Volume of solution in liters}} = \frac{0.02479, \text{mol}}{0.500, \text{L}} = 0.04958, \text{M} \] Expressed to four significant figures: \[ \text{Final Molarity} = 0.04958, \text{M} \]

  5. Calculating % (w/v) concentration: To find the % (w/v), we need to express the mass of mercury in 100 mL.

    • The total mass of mercury from both salts:
      • From HgCl₂: 2.45 g contains 2.45 g of HgCl₂ and yields 2.45 g (calculated previously).
      • From HgSO₄: 4.68 g contains 4.68 g of HgSO₄ and yields 4.68 g (calculated previously).
    • The total mass of mercury: \[ \text{Total mass of mercury from HgCl}_2 = 2.45, \text{g} \times \frac{200.59}{271.49} \approx 1.80, \text{g} \] \[ \text{Total mass of mercury from HgSO}_4 = 4.68, \text{g} \times \frac{200.59}{296.66} \approx 3.16, \text{g} \] Adding these together gives: \[ \text{Total mass of mercury} \approx 1.80, \text{g} + 3.16, \text{g} = 4.96 g \]

    Since the volume of the final solution is 500 mL, the % (w/v) concentration is calculated as: \[ \text{% (w/v)} = \frac{\text{mass of solute (g)}}{\text{volume of solution (mL)}} \times 100 = \frac{4.96, \text{g}}{500, \text{mL}} \times 100 = 0.992, % \] Expressed to three significant figures: \[ \text{Final % (w/v)} = 0.992 , % \]

Final Results:

  • Concentration (Molarity): \( 0.04958 , \text{M} \)
  • Concentration (% w/v): \( 0.992 , % \)