Question

When michelle's blood was tested, the chloride level was 0.45 g/dl.

Answer 1

To convert from units of g/dL to mEq/L, we must first understand what milliequivalents represent. A milliequivalent is a unit of measurement often used for electrolytes and it tells us the chemical activity of the species relative to 1 mg of hydrogen. The formula for converting to mEq/L is as follows:

mEq/L = (mg/L)/molecular weight

We will first convert our g/dL to mg/L:

0.45 g/dL x 10 dL/1L = 4.5 g/L

4.5 g/L x 1000 mg/g = 4500 mg/L

Now we can use the atomic weight of chloride (35.5 g/mol) to solve for the mEq/L:

(4500 mg/L) / (35.5 g/mol) = 127 mEq/L

Therefore, a chloride concentration of 0.45 g/dL in the blood is equal to 127 mEq/L.