Q. 9.21 - An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry

Question

When Michelle's blood was tested, the chloride level was $0.45 g/dL.$

a. What is this value in milliequivalents per liter?

b. According to Table $9.6$, is this value above, below, or within the normal range?

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

(part a) The value in milliequivalents per liter is $127 mEq/L.$

(part b) The value of chlorine is above the normal range.

Step1: Given information (part a).

Some tests report their results in milliequivalents per liter. An equivalent is the quantity of the sample that will respond with a particular number of hydrogen ions. Milliequivalent refers to one thousandth of an equivalent.

Step2: Conversion (part a).

Given:

Blood contains $0.45 g/dL$

Molar mass of $C{l}^{-}$ ions is $35.45 g/mol$

Convert $g/dL$ to $mol/L$ is as follows:

$$\begin{gathered} =\frac{0.45 \mathrm{g}}{\mathrm{dL}}\times \frac{1\mathrm{dL}}{0.1 \mathrm{L}}\times \frac{\mathrm{mol}}{35.45 \mathrm{g}} \\ =0.127 mol/L \end{gathered}$$

Step3: Explanation (part a).

Charge of Chlorine is $-1.$so, $1\text{ mole of Cl- ion }=1\mathrm{Eq}\text{ of Cl- ion. }$

Convert $mol/L$to $mEq/L$ is as follows:

$$\begin{gathered} =\frac{0.127 \mathrm{mol}\text{ of }{\mathrm{Cl}}^{-}}{1 \mathrm{L}}\times \frac{1\mathrm{Eq}\text{ of }{\mathrm{Cl}}^{-}}{1 \mathrm{mol}\text{ of }{\mathrm{Cl}}^{-}}\times \frac{1000\mathrm{mEq}}{1\mathrm{Eq}} \\ =127 mEq/L \end{gathered}$$

Step4: Given Information (part b).

Find the chlorine level.

Step5: Explanation (part b).

By the reference,

Chlorine levels are above the normal curbs.