A solution is prepared by dissolved 2 g of a solute in 36 g of water. Calculate the mass percent of the solute.

Answer

To calculate the mass percent of the solute in the solution, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Identify the mass of the solute and the solvent
- Mass of solute = 2 g
- Mass of solvent (water) = 36 g

### Step 2: Calculate the total mass of the solution
The total mass of the solution is the sum of the mass of the solute and the mass of the solvent.
\[ \text{Mass of solution} = \text{Mass of solute} + \text{Mass of solvent} \]
\[ \text{Mass of solution} = 2 \, \text{g} + 36 \, \text{g} = 38 \, \text{g} \]

### Step 3: Use the formula for mass percent of the solute
The formula for mass percent is given by:
\[ \text{Mass percent of solute} = \left( \frac{\text{Mass of solute}}{\text{Mass of solution}} \right) \times 100 \]

### Step 4: Substitute the values into the formula
Now, substitute the known values into the formula:
\[ \text{Mass percent of solute} = \left( \frac{2 \, \text{g}}{38 \, \text{g}} \right) \times 100 \]

### Step 5: Calculate the mass percent
Calculating the above expression:
\[ \text{Mass percent of solute} = \left( \frac{2}{38} \right) \times 100 \approx 5.26\% \]

### Final Answer
The mass percent of the solute is approximately **5.26%**.

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