Ringer's solution, used in the treatment of burns and wounds, is prepared by dissolving 4.30 g of NaCl, 0.150 g of KCl, and 0.165 g of CaCl2 in water and diluting to a volume of 500.0 mL. What is the molarity of each of the component ions in the solution?

Molarity is a measure of concentration defined as the number of moles of solute per liter of solution. It is expressed in moles per liter (mol/L) and is crucial for understanding how much of a substance is present in a given volume of solution. To calculate molarity, one must first determine the number of moles of each solute and then divide by the total volume of the solution in liters.

Ionic compounds, such as NaCl, KCl, and CaCl2, dissociate into their constituent ions when dissolved in water. This dissociation is essential for calculating the molarity of each ion in the solution. For example, NaCl dissociates into Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions, while CaCl2 dissociates into Ca²⁺ and two Cl⁻ ions, affecting the total concentration of ions in the solution.

To find the number of moles of a substance from its mass, one can use the formula: moles = mass (g) / molar mass (g/mol). Each component in Ringer's solution has a specific molar mass, which is necessary for converting the given masses of NaCl, KCl, and CaCl2 into moles. This step is fundamental for determining the molarity of each ion in the final solution.