Question

What is the mass of fish, in kilograms, that one would have to consume to obtain a fatal dose of mercury if the fish contains 30 parts per million (ppm) of mercury by weight?

a) 0.0067 kg
b) 0.0200 kg
c) 0.067 kg
d) 0.200 kg

Answer 1

To calculate the mass of fish needed to obtain a fatal dose of mercury, first convert the concentration to a decimal and then multiply by the mass of a fatal dose. The mass of fish required is approximately 0.006 kilograms. Option a

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the mass of fish needed to obtain a fatal dose of mercury, we need to convert the concentration of mercury in the fish to a mass.

First, we convert 30 parts per million (ppm) to a decimal by dividing by 1,000,000, which gives us 0.00003. Then, we multiply this decimal by the mass of the fish that would result in a fatal dose of mercury, which is 0.20 grams. This calculation gives us a mass of fish of 0.006 grams, or 0.006 kilograms.

Therefore, the correct answer is option a) 0.0067 kg.