Final answer:
The concentration of the barium chlorate solution prepared by the chemist is 1.771 g/dl, which is rounded to 1.8 g/dl according to significant figure rules, assuming the volumetric flask had a volume of 1 liter.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the concentration in grams per deciliter (g/dl) of the chemist's barium chlorate solution, we can use the mass of solute and the total volume of the solution. A deciliter (dl) is 100 milliliters, so first, we need to find out the volume of the volumetric flask in deciliters. We were not provided with the volume of the flask, so we'll assume a standard size of 1 liter (10 dl) which is common for concentration calculations unless the student can provide the actual volume used. The concentration (C) in g/dl is then found by dividing the mass in grams (m) by the volume in deciliters (V).
Here's the formula to find the concentration: C = m / V
In our case, the chemist weighs out 17.71g of barium chlorate. Assuming the volumetric flask has a volume of 1 liter (or 10 dl):
- C = 17.71 g / 10 dl
- C = 1.771 g/dl
So, the concentration of the barium chlorate solution is 1.771 g/dl. It is key to note that if the flask volume is different, the student must provide that information to obtain an accurate calculation. Additionally, according to significant figure rules, since '17.71' has four significant digits, and the volume (10) has two significant figures, the final answer should be reported to the least number of significant figures in the given data, which is two. Therefore, the concentration is rounded to 1.8 g/dl.