4. A student purified a 500-mg sample of phthalic acid by recrystallization from water. The published solubility of phthalic acid in 100 mL of water is 0.54 g at 14 oc and 18 g at 99 0C. (a) What is the smallest volume of boiling water the student could use to dissolve 500 mg of phthalic acid?

2.77 mL of boiling water is the minimum amount which will dissolve 500 mg of phthalic acid.

Explanation:

We know from the problem that 18 g of phthalic acid are dissolved in 100 mL of water at 99 °C.

Now we devise the following reasoning:

If 18 g of phthalic acid are dissolved in 100 mL of water at 99 °C

Then 0.5 g of phthalic acid are dissolved in X mL of water at 99 °C

X = (0.5 * 100) / 18 = 2.77 mL of water