Here's why:
* Molarity (M): Represents the concentration of a solution. It tells you how many moles of a substance (solute) are dissolved in a specific volume (usually liters) of the solution.
* Density: Is a measure of mass per unit volume. In this case, it tells you how much mass of the solution is packed into each milliliter.
The given density information (1.015 g/mL) doesn't affect the molarity of the solution. The solution is already stated to be 0.142 M Na₃PO₄.
Explanation:
Imagine you have a 1-liter solution of 0.142 M Na₃PO₄. This solution contains 0.142 moles of Na₃PO₄. Whether the solution is dense or less dense, the amount of Na₃PO₄ present in that liter remains the same, so the molarity stays constant.
Important Note: If you wanted to calculate the *mass* of Na₃PO₄ present in a certain volume of the solution, then the density would be important.