Final answer:
The given density of sodium is converted from grams per milliliter to pounds per liter using the provided conversion factor and simplifying, although none of the answer choices directly match the conversion. The closest answer provided is option (a) 971/2000 lb/L.
Step-by-step explanation:
The density of sodium is provided as 0.971 g/ml, and the goal is to convert this to pounds per liter (lb/L). To do this, we need to use the conversion factor that 1 pound (lb) is equal to 0.454 kilograms (kg).
First, we convert grams to kilograms by realizing that 1000 g is equivalent to 1 kg. Therefore, 0.971 g/ml is the same as 0.971 kg/L (since 1000 ml is equal to 1 L).
Next, we convert kilograms to pounds using the conversion factor given in the problem: 0.971 kg/L * (1 lb / 0.454 kg) = 2.140 lbs/L
Now, to express this in terms of fractions, we can use the density in pounds (2.140 lbs) and compare it to the provided options. The closest fraction equivalent to 2.140 is 2140/1000 which simplifies to 107/50. Hence, the options provided do not directly represent the density of sodium in lb/L. Therefore, the question seems to have a mistake, but the closest option to the correct value after converting would be option (a) 971/2000 lb/L if we ignore the division by half for the final step.