Don't need an answer, just an explanation?

Question

The seven most abundant ions in seawater make up more than 99% by mass of the dissolved compounds. They are listed in units of mg ion/kg sea water: chloride 18,900; sodium 10,560; sulfate 2650; magnesium 1270; calcium 400; potassium 380; hydrogen carbonate 140.
(a) What is the mass % of each ion in seawater.
(b) What percent of the total mass of ions is sodium ion
(c) How does the total mass % of alkaline earth metals compare with the total mass % of alkali metal ions
(d) Which makes up the larger mass fraction of dissolved components, anions, and cations?

Could you just show me a quick set up please?
Also, what are the anions, and cations? (heard the terms last year)

Thanks a bunch!!

Answer 1

a) Do not forget about unit conversion. For example,
chloride 18,900mg/1kg = 18.9g/1000g = 1.89%

b) Understand the mass ratio is what you are given. Also understand that hydrogen carbonate, H2CO3, is due to dissolution of CO2 into the seawater, and is largely NON-DISSOCIATED, thus should not be considered as ions.
So when the total mass of ions to be considered as S = 18,900+10,560+2650+1270+400+380 (do not add 140 for hydrogen carbonate), the requested answer is 10560/S.

c) Following the method outlined in (b), calculate the mass % of alkali metal ions (sodium and potassium), and alkaline earth metals (magnesium and calcium), and then do a comparison.

d) Following the method outlined in (b), calculate the mass % of anions (chloride and sulfate) and cations (sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium), and then do a comparison.

anions: negatively charged ions
cations: positively charged ions

Answer 2

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