A flexible 1 L "bag" of intravenous saline solution is more accurately described as 0.9% sodium chloride (w/v) in water.
1. How many grams of sodium chloride are in the 1 L bag?
2. What is the molarity of the sodium chloride solution, expressed in mmol/L?
3. What is the osmolarity of the sodium chloride solution, expressed in mOsm/L?
4. According to Saladin (7th ed.), the osmolarity of blood ranges from 280 to 296 mOsm/L (p. 675). Based on your calculations, does the sodium chloride solution have an osmolarity similar to blood?
5. How many milliequivalents (mEq) of Na+ are contained in the 1 L of sodium chloride solution? How many mEq of Cl-?