Concentrated nitric acid has a density of 1.51 g/cm3 and is 87.5% by mass HNO3. What is the molarity of the acid?

1 Answer
Feb 21, 2018

#[HNO_3]=21.0*mol*L^-1#...

Explanation:

Good question....we work from a VOLUME of #1*cm^3-=1xx10^-3*L#, the which by specification, has a mass of #1.51*g*cm^3#, of which #87.5%# is due to the nitric acid solute....

And so #"concentration"="moles of solute"/"volume of solution"#

#=((1*cm^3xx1.51*g*cm^-3xx87.5%)/(63.01*g*mol^-1))/(1xx10^-3*L)=??*mol*L^-1#

The stuff we use in the lab is approx. #70%#, and approx. #15*mol*L^-1#...so this is seriously concentrated stuff....