Final answer:
The International Unit (IU) measures the amount of an ingredient in a medication based on its biological activity or effect, directly related to its potency. Units like cubic centimeter (cc) or milliliter (mL) measure volume, while millimoles (mmol) and milliequivalents (mEq) indicate quantities of substances but are not used to represent medication potency.
Step-by-step explanation:
The measurement of the amount of an ingredient in a medication where the value changes depending on the potency of the medication is referred to as an International Unit (IU). The IU is a unit of measurement that is internationally agreed upon for the quantity of a substance, based on its biological activity or effect. For example, medications such as vitamins, hormones, and certain medications have their potency denoted in IUs to reflect the biological effect rather than a specific mass or volume.
Cubic centimeter (cc) or mililiter (mL) is a measure of volume and is not used to measure potency. A cubic centimeter is the volume of a cube with an edge length of exactly one centimeter and is equivalent to one milliliter. On the other hand, millimoles (mmol) and milliequivalents (mEq) are measures of chemical substance quantity based on the number of moles or equivalents in a solution and are not directly related to the medication potency.