Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Osmolarity
Osmolarity is a measure of the total concentration of solute particles in a solution. It is expressed in osmoles per liter (osmol/L) and takes into account all particles that contribute to the solution's osmotic pressure, including ions and molecules. For ionic compounds like NaOH, which dissociates into sodium (Na+) and hydroxide (OH-) ions, the osmolarity is calculated by multiplying the molarity by the number of particles produced upon dissociation.
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Molarity
Molarity is a way to express the concentration of a solution, defined as the number of moles of solute per liter of solution (mol/L). In the case of NaOH, a 0.30 M solution means there are 0.30 moles of NaOH in one liter of solution. Understanding molarity is essential for calculating osmolarity, especially for ionic compounds that dissociate in solution.
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Mass/Volume Percent Concentration
Mass/volume percent concentration (m/v) is a way to express the concentration of a solution as the mass of solute per 100 mL of solution. For example, a 3.0% (m/v) NaOH solution means there are 3 grams of NaOH in 100 mL of solution. This concept is important for converting to molarity and subsequently calculating osmolarity, especially when comparing different types of concentration measurements.
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