A technician uses 288 g of salicylic acid to prepare 16 eight oz jars of salicylic acid in white petrolatum. What is the concentration of salicylic acid in the final product?

Rationale

7.50%

To calculate the concentration of salicylic acid in the final product, we first need to determine the total volume of the mixture. Each jar contains 8 oz, and with 16 jars, the total volume is 128 oz. Converting this to grams (assuming 1 oz = 28.35 g), we find that the total weight of the product is approximately 3,628 g. The concentration is then calculated as (weight of salicylic acid/total weight of product) × 100, yielding 7.50%.

A (6.25%) YOUR ANSWER

This concentration would imply that the salicylic acid accounts for only 6.25% of the total mass. If we calculate using this percentage, the total weight of the product would need to be significantly higher than 3,628 g, which is not the case given the amount of salicylic acid used. Thus, this choice is incorrect.

B (7.50%) CORRECT

This is the correct concentration, as shown through the calculation of the salicylic acid mass relative to the total product weight. The formula used yields exactly 7.50% concentration when the weight of salicylic acid is divided by the total weight of the mixture and then multiplied by 100.

C (15%) YOUR ANSWER

A concentration of 15% would suggest that salicylic acid makes up a much larger portion of the total product weight than is actually present. Calculating backwards, if 15% were correct, the total product weight would have to be around 1,920 g, which is substantially lower than the actual weight of 3,628 g. Therefore, this choice is incorrect.

D (20%) YOUR ANSWER

Choosing 20% would imply an even greater proportion of salicylic acid in the mixture. If this were true, the total weight of the mixture would have to be 1,440 g, which clearly contradicts the calculated total weight of 3,628 g. Hence, this option is also incorrect.

Conclusion

The concentration of salicylic acid in the final product, derived from the total weight of the salicylic acid in relation to the entire weight of the mixture, is accurately determined to be 7.50%. This calculation confirms that the other options do not reflect the actual proportions present in the product. Understanding these calculations is essential for ensuring accurate formulations in pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations.

A technician uses 288 g of salicylic acid to prepare 16 eight oz jars of salicylic acid in white petrolatum. What is the concentration of salicylic acid in the final product?

7.50%

Related Questions

Related Quizzes

How familiar were you with this question?

Report an Issue

Rate this Practice Test