What is defined as the number of equivalent weights of solute per liter of solution?

• A. Molarity
• B. Normality
• C. Molality
• D. Concentration

Answer: (B)

The term that is defined as the number of equivalent weights of solute per liter of solution is known as normality. Normality is particularly useful in chemical reactions where the reactive capacity of a solute is important, such as in acid-base reactions or in redox processes. Each equivalent weight of a solute corresponds to the amount that will react with or replace one mole of hydrogen ions (H⁺) or one mole of electrons in a reaction.

By measuring the normality, you can directly relate the concentration of a solution to its ability to participate in a chemical reaction, making it a valuable measurement in analytical chemistry and various applications in water treatment processes where precise chemical reactions are crucial for managing water quality.

The other options, while related to concentration measurements, serve different purposes: molarity measures the moles of solute per liter of solution, molality assesses moles of solute per kilogram of solvent, and concentration is a more general term that could refer to any measure of solute in a solution without specifying the type of measurement.