Converting 4.5 nanograms to micrograms per microliter? Please Help!

[confused2021]

I am confused on how to convert 4.5 nanograms to micrograms per microliter. When I make the conversion do I have to use any calculations to get microliters. Using the fact that there are 1 x 10^-3 micrograms in 1 nanometer I get 4.5 x 10^-3 micrograms per microliter. Is this the correct answer?

Any assistance from anyone would be greatly appreciated!!!!

[Col Not Colin]

2 hours ago, confused2021 said:

I am confused on how to convert 4.5 nanograms to micrograms per microliter. When I make the conversion do I have to use any calculations to get microliters. Using the fact that there are 1 x 10^-3 micrograms in 1 nanometer I get 4.5 x 10^-3 micrograms per microliter. Is this the correct answer?

  Please check the items written in red

  There are 1x10^-3 micrograms in  1 nanogram,      if that's what you meant.

On the other hand, there is some information missing.  You started with 4.5 nanograms which is just the mass of something.   You are after a final answer that is a concentration (mass per volume).   It seems likely that you were told something like  "there are 4.5 micrograms per VOLUME OF MEASURENT (maybe 1 litre)"   and then asked to convert.

IF everything is taking place within a volume of 1 microlitre,   then what you have done so far is fine.   However, if the original information implies the 4.5 nanograms were in a different volume, then you were absolutely correct in thinking there would be a second step - we must also adjust for the change in volume units.

Let's give an example only:  If you started with 4.5 ng  in 10 litres,   then that is equivalent to  4.5 x 10^-4  ng per micro-litre,   which is 4.5 x 10 ^-7 micrograms per microlitre.

Minor note, there is also a section called "homework help".  People usually respond quite quickly and give guidance that is more helpful to you if you are learning.

Edited February 2, 2021 by Col Not Colin
Clarity

[studiot]

8 hours ago, confused2021 said:

Is this the correct answer?

No, please post the complete correct question.

Then we can help you with your units.

You have posted in Chemistry, is this in fact a pharmaceutical calculation and is it coursework/homework ?

+1 to Col for attempting to help.

Edited February 2, 2021 by studiot

[confused2021]

Thank you two individuals very much for your help!  What I wrote is pretty much the whole question. It is a worksheet where I am given 4.5 ng and I am supposed to convert it to micrograms/microliter. I have attached the worksheet. It is question number 5. Am I correct in assuming that there is perhaps no answer snice you cannot covert a concentration to a concentration in a volume?  Could it perhaps have been a typo?  Do I write "Not Applicable" as the answer?

Question 5.pdf

[chenbeier]

The topic was discussed here:

https://chemicalforum.webqc.org/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=20353

In the attachment it must be a mistake. All others are correct.

 

Edited February 2, 2021 by chenbeier

[studiot]

OK thank you it was in biochemistry.

And it was one of many general practice questions.

I asked about pharmaceutical calculations because some medicines are supplied as a particular mass in a vial to be diluted and then added to an infusion bag of particular volume. Such questions would be almost in the format of mass to concentration by volume.

And there was a slip up with question 5.

So check that no addendum was posted and inform your academic supervisor.

Chenbeier was correct. +1

For others who might be interested here is the excerpt from the pdf.

Edited February 2, 2021 by studiot

[confused2021]

Thanks for all your help!!!  The worksheet says to put everything in scientific notation.  Therefore if I get an answer, for example, in question 1 as 1.5, would I write 1.5 x 10^0?  Any input on this would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Conversion Sheet_pp xi.pdf

[studiot]

Note you can use superscript on this forum

Scientific notation usually means a number between 1 and 10, for which we don't write the power of 10.

So strictly your answer to should be 1.5 μL

 

However many scientists also allow or just write 20 as just 20 not 2 x 10,

So they are choosing numbers between 1 and 100.

Engineers use numbers between 1 and 1000 and that is the basis of using only milli and micro and kilo.

[chenbeier]

I dont know what the teacher want to see. 1,5 mikro l is ok.

But 0.003 g should be 3 mg

Edited February 2, 2021 by chenbeier

[confused2021]

Thanks again for your help, guys!!!  I greatly appreciate it!!!  If anyone has time, I would greatly appreciate it if you could check my answers.  I am going to go over the worksheet again to make sure that I did all 15 questions (except for question 5 which I know see was a typo).  If anyone could help and let me know if any one of the answers seem wrong, I would greatly appreciate it!!!!

 

Conversion Sheet.pdf

Edited February 2, 2021 by confused2021

[studiot]

We don't do you homework for you some of us help you to do it !

It is important that you work through as many convertion examples as you need until you can 'do it in your sleep' .

There is no other way to proficiency.

 

Please note that new members are only allowed a total of 5 posts in their first 24 hours, to help prevent spammers.

After that you can post as many as you like.

Go well in your studies.