(b) An ore contains 2.86 g of silver per ton of ore. What is the concentration of silver in ppm?

Verified step by step guidance

Understand that ppm (parts per million) is a way of expressing very dilute concentrations of substances. It is equivalent to milligrams of solute per kilogram of solution.

Convert the mass of the ore from tons to grams. Since 1 ton is equal to 1,000,000 grams, multiply the given mass of the ore by 1,000,000.

Calculate the concentration of silver in ppm by using the formula: \( \text{ppm} = \left( \frac{\text{mass of solute (g)}}{\text{mass of solution (g)}} \right) \times 10^6 \).

Substitute the mass of silver (2.86 g) and the mass of the ore in grams (from step 2) into the formula.

Perform the multiplication and division to find the concentration of silver in ppm.

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Parts Per Million (ppm)

Parts per million (ppm) is a unit of measurement used to express very dilute concentrations of substances. It indicates how many parts of a substance are present in one million parts of a solution or mixture. For example, 1 ppm means 1 part of solute in 1,000,000 parts of solution, making it a useful measure for trace elements in ores or environmental samples.

Conversion of Mass to ppm

To convert a mass concentration to ppm, the mass of the substance is divided by the total mass of the solution or mixture, then multiplied by 1,000,000. In this case, since the ore contains silver, the total mass is considered in terms of grams per ton, where 1 ton equals 1,000,000 grams, facilitating the conversion to ppm.

Understanding Ore Composition

Ore composition refers to the specific elements and their concentrations found within a mineral deposit. In this context, knowing the amount of silver in the ore allows for calculations of its economic viability and extraction potential. Understanding the composition is crucial for mining and metallurgy, as it influences processing methods and costs.

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