Final answer:
To determine the millimoles of the potassium compounds in a 25 mL vial, convert the total mass of each compound to grams, calculate the moles using their molar masses, and then multiply by 1000 to convert to millimoles.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the millimoles of potassium acetate, potassium bicarbonate, and potassium citrate in a 25 mL vial given that a solution contains 500 mg of each per teaspoon, you first need to know the volume of one teaspoon in milliliters and the molar mass of each compound. Since 1 teaspoon is approximately 5 mL, the 25 mL vial contains 5 teaspoons worth of solution. Thus, there is a total of 2500 mg or 2.5 grams of each potassium compound in the vial.
Next, you'll need to find the molar mass of each compound (which can be found on a periodic table or chemical database): potassium acetate (C₂H₃KO₂), potassium bicarbonate (KHCO₃), and potassium citrate (C₆H₅K₃O₇). With the molar mass, divide the mass in grams by the molar mass to obtain the number of moles. Since millimoles are 1/1000th of a mole, multiply the moles by 1000 to get millimoles for each compound.
For example, if the molar mass of potassium acetate is 98 g/mol, the calculation for millimoles would be:
(2.5 g / 98 g/mol) × 1000 mmol/mol = 25.51 mmol (rounded to two decimal places).
Repeat this process for each compound using their respective molar masses to determine the millimoles of potassium bicarbonate and potassium citrate in the 25 mL vial.