Final answer:
To calculate large volumes of fluid in mL per hour, you multiply the rate in mL per minute by 60, because there are 60 minutes in an hour. This conversion is often necessary when determining the flow rate for intravenous fluids in a medical setting. Accurate measurement from a graduated cylinder is also crucial in preparing the correct dosage.
Step-by-step explanation:
The method for calculating large volumes of fluid in mL per hour is typically done by infusion pumps in clinical settings, which are calibrated to deliver a precise volume per unit of time. However, if you're not using an automatic pump, the manual method would often involve counting the number of drops per minute (since each drop has a standard volume depending on the equipment used) and then multiplying by a conversion factor to get the mL per hour rate.
That said, when faced with the options provided, the correct method for converting a fluid rate into mL per hour when you have a known volume in mL is c) Multiplying by 60. This is because you're usually given the rate in mL per minute and there are 60 minutes in one hour, so you multiply the minute rate by 60 to convert it to an hourly rate.
Remember, when reading the volume from a graduated cylinder, it is important to correctly estimate the volume at the bottom of the meniscus and to convert the volume to the correct unit by considering the conversion factor between milliliters and liters if necessary. As illustrated, to convert from milliliters to liters, you would divide by 1000 (moving the decimal point three places to the left).