🩸 Chemistry by Chang – Problem 1.36 | Parts per Million (ppm) Calculation | Steemit Science
Hello Steemit learners! 👋⚗️
This problem comes from Raymond Chang’s Chemistry (14th Edition), in Chapter 1: Measurement and the Properties of Matter.
It focuses on understanding parts per million (ppm) — a common unit for expressing very small concentrations of substances, particularly in environmental and biological chemistry.
🔹 Problem 1.36:
The “normal” lead content in human blood is about 0.40 part per million (ppm) (that is, 0.40 g of lead per million grams of blood).
A value of 0.80 ppm is considered dangerous.
Question:
How many grams of lead are contained in ( 6.0 \times 10^{3} ) g of blood (the amount in an average adult) if the lead content is 0.62 ppm?
This problem combines ratio reasoning and dimensional analysis to find the total mass of lead in the blood sample.
Understanding how to interpret ppm values is vital for chemistry, toxicology, and environmental science — where even trace amounts of contaminants can have serious effects.
📸 Here’s my full step-by-step solution with unit analysis:
It’s striking how such tiny concentrations can make a huge biological impact.
Do you think public awareness about heavy metal exposure is sufficient today? Let’s discuss below! 💬⚖️
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