Which of the following prepares a solution of 0.50 M HCl?

To prepare a solution of 0.50 M HCl, we need to calculate the final concentration after dilution.

In the first scenario, if you take 250 mL of 2.0 M HCl and dilute it with 750 mL of water, we first need to determine the total amount of moles of HCl in the solution. The number of moles of HCl in the initial solution is calculated as follows:

Moles of HCl = Concentration × Volume = 2.0 M × 0.250 L (250 mL) = 0.5 moles.

When this solution is combined with 750 mL of water, the final volume of the solution will be 250 mL + 750 mL = 1000 mL (1.0 L). To find the concentration of the resulting solution, we apply the formula for molarity:

Concentration = Moles of solute / Volume of solution in liters.

So,

Concentration = 0.5 moles / 1.0 L = 0.50 M.

This confirms that the dilution of 250 mL of 2.0 M HCl with 750 mL of water