What do we mean when we say that concentrated nitric acid (HNO3) is 16 molar?

It means you have 16 mol HNO3/L solution. The molar mass of HNO3 is abouat 63 so you have 16 x 63 grams HNO3/L.

When we say that concentrated nitric acid (HNO3) is 16 molar, it means that the acid has a concentration of 16 moles of HNO3 dissolved in 1 liter of solution. In other words, for every liter of concentrated nitric acid, there are 16 moles of HNO3 present.

Molarity is a measure of the concentration of a solution and is defined as the number of moles of solute (HNO3 in this case) per liter of solution.

When we say that concentrated nitric acid (HNO3) is 16 molar, we are referring to its molarity or concentration. Molarity is a measure of the amount of a substance (in moles) dissolved in a given volume of a solution.

To understand the concept of molarity, let's break it down:
- Concentrated nitric acid is an aqueous solution of HNO3, where water (H2O) is the solvent and nitric acid is the solute.
- The molarity of a solution is calculated by dividing the moles of solute by the volume of the solvent (in liters).
- In this case, a 16 molar nitric acid solution means that for every liter (1000 mL) of the solution, there are 16 moles of nitric acid dissolved in it.

To determine the molarity of a solution, you need to know the number of moles of the solute and the volume of the solvent. These values can be obtained through various means, such as experimental data or calculations.

In the case of concentrated nitric acid, typically its molarity is indicated on the label of the commercial product. However, if you want to prepare a 16 molar solution yourself, you would need to measure and dissolve the appropriate amount of HNO3 in water to achieve the desired concentration.