Question

If you need to prepare 1.5 L of a 1.5 M solution of nitric acid, how many milliliters of 9.0 M nitric acid will you have to dilute to 1.5 L?

Answer 1

Well, we must remember to add acid to water....we need `250*mL` of the starting acid.

Explanation:

We want a solution whose volume is `1.50*L`, and whose concentration is `1.50*mol*L^-1`....

And this represents a molar quantity of `1.50*Lxx1.50*mol*L^-1=2.25*mol` with respect to nitric acid...

We have `9.0*mol*L^-1` nitric available.....and so we take the quotient....

`(2.25*mol)/(9.0*mol*L^-1)xx1000*mL*L^-1-=250*mL`...

And so you add `250*mL` nitric acid to `1250*mL` of distilled water.

We remember that [if you spit in acid, it spits back.](https://socratic.org/questions/in-what-order-should-strong-acids-and-water-be-mixed?source=search)