20.5k views
1 vote
In a certain chemical, the ratio of zinc to copper is 3 to 16. A jar of the chemical contains 720 grams of copper. How many grams of zinc does it contain?

A. It contains 180 grams of zinc.
B. It contains 135 grams of zinc.
C. It contains 240 grams of zinc.
D. It contains 120 grams of zinc.

1 Answer

5 votes

LFinal answer:

A chemical's ratio of zinc to copper is 3:16, and there are 720 grams of copper in a jar. By calculating the total parts and dividing the weight of copper by the number of copper parts, we find each part weighs 45 grams. Multiplying by the number of zinc parts (3), we conclude there are 135 grams of zinc in the jar.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student's question concerns the ratio of zinc to copper in a chemical and how to determine the amount of zinc given a certain amount of copper. To solve this, we can use the ratio of zinc to copper which is given as 3:16. This means for every 3 parts of zinc, there are 16 parts of copper. Based on the provided information, there are 720 grams of copper in the jar.

First, let's find the total parts in the ratio:

  • 3 parts zinc
  • 16 parts copper

Total parts = 3 + 16 = 19 parts

Now, we determine how much each part weighs:

Weight of each part = Total weight of copper / Number of copper parts

Weight of each part = 720 grams / 16

Weight of each part = 45 grams

Lastly, we calculate the weight of zinc:

Weight of zinc = Weight of each part * Number of zinc parts

Weight of zinc = 45 grams * 3

Weight of zinc = 135 grams

Therefore, the jar contains 135 grams of zinc, which corresponds to option B.

User Arnpry
by
7.2k points