Final answer:
To achieve a 0.20M sulfate ion concentration, approximately 41.67 mL of a 0.84M magnesium sulfate solution must be added to 173 mL of water in a flask.
Step-by-step explanation:
To calculate the volume of 0.84M magnesium sulfate solution needed, we can use the formula for dilution:
C1V1 = C2V2
Where C1 is the initial concentration, V1 is the initial volume, C2 is the final concentration, and V2 is the final volume.
In this case, our initial volume is 173 mL and our final volume (after adding the magnesium sulfate solution) is V2 + 173 mL. The final concentration is 0.20M and the initial concentration is 0.84M for the magnesium sulfate solution.
Substituting the values into the formula, we get:
(0.84M)(V2) = (0.20M)(173mL)
V2 = (0.20M)(173mL) / 0.84M
V2 = 41.67 mL
Therefore, approximately 41.67 milliliters of the 0.84M magnesium sulfate solution must be added to the existing volume of 173 mL of water to achieve a solution that is 0.20M with regard to sulfate ion concentration.