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Question

20 g of common salt is dissolved in 180 g of water. What is the mass percentage of the salt in the solution?

This question was previously asked in
NDA I 2017 GAT Previous Year Paper (23-Apr-2017)
The correct answer is

10%

Calculating Mass Percentage of Salt in Solution

The question asks us to find the mass percentage of common salt when 20 g of salt is dissolved in 180 g of water. This is a common calculation in chemistry to express the concentration of a solution.

Understanding the Terms

  • Solute: The substance that is dissolved. In this case, it is common salt (20 g).
  • Solvent: The substance in which the solute is dissolved. Here, it is water (180 g). Water is often called the universal solvent.
  • Solution: The homogeneous mixture formed when a solute is dissolved in a solvent. The solution is the combination of salt and water.

Formula for Mass Percentage Concentration

Mass percentage of a component in a solution is defined as the mass of the component divided by the total mass of the solution, multiplied by 100%.

The formula is:

\(\text{Mass Percentage of Solute} = \frac{\text{Mass of Solute}}{\text{Mass of Solution}} \times 100\%\)

Step-by-Step Calculation

First, we need to find the total mass of the solution. The mass of the solution is the sum of the mass of the solute and the mass of the solvent.

  • Mass of solute (common salt) = 20 g
  • Mass of solvent (water) = 180 g
  • Mass of solution = Mass of solute + Mass of solvent
  • Mass of solution = 20 g + 180 g = 200 g

Now, we can use the mass percentage formula:

\(\text{Mass Percentage of Salt} = \frac{\text{Mass of Salt}}{\text{Mass of Solution}} \times 100\%\)

\(\text{Mass Percentage of Salt} = \frac{20 \text{ g}}{200 \text{ g}} \times 100\%\)

\(\text{Mass Percentage of Salt} = \frac{1}{10} \times 100\%\)

\(\text{Mass Percentage of Salt} = 0.1 \times 100\%\)

\(\text{Mass Percentage of Salt} = 10\%\)

Therefore, the mass percentage of the salt in the solution is 10%.

Component Mass (g)
Common Salt (Solute) 20
Water (Solvent) 180
Solution (Salt + Water) 20 + 180 = 200

Using the formula with the calculated mass of the solution:

\(\text{Mass Percentage} = \frac{20 \text{ g}}{200 \text{ g}} \times 100\% = 10\%\)

The mass percentage of common salt in the solution is 10%.

Revision Table: Mass Percentage Calculation

Concept Definition/Formula Application
Solute Substance being dissolved Common Salt (20 g)
Solvent Substance doing the dissolving Water (180 g)
Solution Solute + Solvent 20 g + 180 g = 200 g
Mass Percentage \(\frac{\text{Mass of Solute}}{\text{Mass of Solution}} \times 100\%\) \(\frac{20 \text{ g}}{200 \text{ g}} \times 100\% = 10\%\)

Additional Information: Solution Concentration Units

Mass percentage is just one way to express the concentration of a solution. Other common units include:

  • Volume Percentage (\(\text{v/v}\%\)): \(\frac{\text{Volume of Solute}}{\text{Volume of Solution}} \times 100\%\)
  • Mass by Volume Percentage (\(\text{w/v}\%\)): \(\frac{\text{Mass of Solute (g)}}{\text{Volume of Solution (mL)}} \times 100\%\)
  • Molarity (M): Moles of solute per liter of solution (\(\frac{\text{Moles of Solute}}{\text{Volume of Solution (L)}}\))
  • Molality (m): Moles of solute per kilogram of solvent (\(\frac{\text{Moles of Solute}}{\text{Mass of Solvent (kg)}}\))
  • Mole Fraction (\(\chi\)): Moles of a component divided by the total moles of all components in the solution.

Choosing the right unit depends on the specific application and the properties being measured (mass or volume).

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