# Calculating concentration of dissolved ions

A sample of $\mathrm{2.00~g}$ of iron(III) sulphate is dissolved in water to give $\mathrm{100~cm^3}$ of aqueous solution. What is the concentration of $\ce{SO4^2-}$ ions in $\mathrm{mol~dm^{-3}}$?

My attempt:

I found the number of moles which is $\mathrm{0.005~mol}$.

Then, 1 mol of iron(III) sulphate has 3 mol of $\ce{SO4^2-}$

So the concentration is $\mathrm{\frac{0.005}{0.1} \cdot 3 = 1.5 \cdot 10^{-1} ~mol~dm^{-3}}$

But the given answer is $\mathrm{1.5 \cdot 10^{-2}~mol~dm^{-3}}$. Why?

• I have improved the formatting of your post using $\LaTeX$. For more information on how to do this yourself please see here and here. Please avoid using Latex in titles due to searching issues – bon Sep 3 '15 at 16:07
• Now it looks to me that you are right, and the given answer is wrong. – Ivan Neretin Sep 3 '15 at 16:27

$$\left(1\;\mathrm{mol}\;\ce{Fe2(SO4)3}\over {399.88\;\mathrm{g}\;\ce{Fe2(SO4)3}}\right)\left({2.0\;\mathrm{g}\;\ce{Fe2(SO4)3}\over 100\;\mathrm{cm}^{3}}\right)\left({3\;\mathrm{mol}\;\ce{SO4^2-}\over 1\;\mathrm{mol}\;\ce{Fe2(SO4)3}}\right)\left({10\;\mathrm{cm}\over 1\;\mathrm{dm}}\right)^{3} =\ce{[SO4^2- ]}$$
$$\ce{[SO4^2- ]}= 1.5\cdot10^{-1}\;\mathrm{mol}\;\mathrm{dm}^{-3}$$