Multiple choice

A chemist has 10 liters of a solution that is 10 percent nitric acid by volume. He wants to dilute to solution to 4 percent strength by adding water. How many liters of water must he add ?

  1. 15

  2. 20

  3. 18

  4. 25
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A Correct answer
Explanation

Initial acid = 10% of 10L = 1L. Let x be the water added. New total volume = 10 + x. New concentration = 1 / (10 + x) = 0.04. 1 = 0.4 + 0.04x, so 0.6 = 0.04x, x = 15.

AI explanation

To dilute the solution from 10 percent to 4 percent nitric acid, we can use the method of alligation with the acid concentration and pure water (0 percent). The ratio of the quantity of 10 percent acid to the quantity of water is calculated as (4 minus 0) to (10 minus 4), which simplifies to 4 to 6. Since the initial 10 liters corresponds to 4 parts, 1 part equals 2.5 liters, meaning the required 6 parts of water equals 15 liters.

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