The doctor’s order is 750 mg of medicine. How many mL of the medicine should be given to the patient? _ mL 1 teaspoon = 250 mg 5.0 mL = 1 teaspoon Round your answer to 2 significant figures.”
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
To determine how many mL of the medicine should be given to the patient when the doctor’s order is for 750 mg, we first need to establish the relationship between the units given. The problem states that:
- 1 teaspoon = 250 mg
- 5.0 mL = 1 teaspoon
From this information, we can derive how many mL correspond to 750 mg.
- Convert mg to teaspoons:
We know that 1 teaspoon is equal to 250 mg. To find out how many teaspoons are needed for 750 mg, we can set up a proportion:
[
\text{Teaspoons} = \frac{750 \text{ mg}}{250 \text{ mg/teaspoon}} = 3 \text{ teaspoons}
] - Convert teaspoons to mL:
Since 5.0 mL is equal to 1 teaspoon, we can now convert teaspoons to mL:
[
\text{mL} = 3 \text{ teaspoons} \times 5.0 \text{ mL/teaspoon} = 15.0 \text{ mL}
]
Now, we have determined that the patient should receive 15.0 mL of the medicine.
- Rounding to two significant figures:
The final answer must be rounded to two significant figures. Since 15.0 already has three significant figures (1, 5, and the trailing zero), we can round it to 15 mL when only considering two significant figures.
Final Answer
Therefore, the amount of medicine that should be administered to the patient is 15 mL.
Explanation of the Calculation
This calculation demonstrates how to convert between different units of measurement, which is an essential skill in nursing and pharmacology. Understanding how to convert mg to teaspoons, and subsequently to mL, ensures that patients receive the correct dosage of medication. This is crucial for patient safety and effective treatment outcomes. Errors in medication dosing can lead to ineffective treatment or serious adverse effects, so precise calculations and conversions are vital in clinical practice. Rounding answers to the correct number of significant figures ensures that we maintain accuracy and clarity in communication among healthcare providers.