2.1. Concentration Definitions

Try these first

1. 1.

   Define mass concentration.

   Hint

   Think of how many grams of sugar are in a liter of water.

2. 2.

   What does ρA2 represent?

   Hint

   Remember the index notation for water.

3. 3.

   What is mass concentration?

   • A measure of substance per area
   • A measure of substance per volume
   • A measure of substance per weight

   Hint

   Consider how substances are mixed in solutions.

4. 4.

   True or False: Henry's constant helps determine the concentration of a substance in water versus air.

   • True
   • False

   Hint

   Think of it as a bridge between gas and liquid phases.

5. 5.

   A researcher measures the concentration of a chemical in complex soil and finds it to be 10 mg/kg. If the water in the same area shows a concentration of 2 mg/L, compute the partition constant assuming equilibrium.

   Hint

   Use the definition of partition constant relating solid concentration to aqueous concentration.

6. 6.

   In a polluted lake, a scientist finds that the pollutant’s concentration is 10 times greater in sediment than in the water column. What does this imply about the pollutant's behavior?

   Hint

   Relate this phenomenon back to the partition constant and how environmental conditions may affect it.