Experiment 4

Limiting Reactant
Lecture Outline
1. Purpose of the Experiment
2. Limiting Reactant

Calculations of Limiting Reactant

Calculations of Excess Reactant

3. Precipitation Reactions

Writing Ionic and Net Ionic Equations

4. Experimental Procedure

Purpose
1. To determine the mass of a precipitate
produced by a chemical reaction.
2.To identify the limiting reactant by a
precipitation test.
3.To determine the percent composition
of a salt mixture.

Limiting Reactant
How many bicycles can be assembled from the parts shown?
From eight wheels four bikes can be
constructed.
From four frames four
bikes can be constructed.
From three pedal
assemblies three bikes can
be constructed.
The limiting
part is the
number of
pedal
assemblies.

Limiting Reagents
Limiting Reagent is the reactant that is used up
first in a reaction.
It is called the limiting reactant because the
amount of it present is insufficient to react
with the amounts of other reactants that are
present.
The limiting reactant limits the amount of
product that can be formed.
Excess reactant is present in quantities
greater than necessary to react with the
quantity of the limiting reactant

Limiting Reactant Calculations Method 1

Step 1 Calculate the amount of product (moles or
grams, as needed) formed from each reactant.
Step 2 Determine which reactant is limiting. (The
reactant that gives the least amount of product
is the limiting reactant; the other reactant is in
excess.
The limiting reactant is used in all
calculations in a problem

Excess Reactant
To calculate the amount of the substance that
remains after the reaction ( in excess)
Step 3 Calculate the amount of the other reactant
required to react with the limiting reactant, then
subtract this amount from the starting quantity
of the reactant.

Excess mass = given mass mass (reacted)

Excess moles = given moles moles (reacted)

Limiting Reactant Calculations: Method 2

aA

a moles

bB

b moles

cC

c moles

dD
d moles

Step 1 Calculate the number of moles of each given reactant

Step 2 Divide the given number of moles of each reactant by the
number of moles (coefficients) in the balanced equation

A is in excess,

If

n A nB

a
b

B is in excess,

If

n A nB

a
b

B is the limiting reactant

A is the limiting reactant

Precipitation Reactions
A Precipitation reaction is a reaction that occurs in aqueous
solution and results in the formation of an insoluble product
Precipitate insoluble solid that separates from solution
molecular equation
Pb(NO3)2 (aq) + 2NaI (aq)

precipitate

PbI2 (s) + 2NaNO3 (aq)

ionic equation
Pb2+ + 2NO3- + 2Na+ + 2Inet ionic equation
Pb2+ + 2IPbI2

PbI2 (s) + 2Na+ + 2NO3-

PbI2 (s)

Na+ and NO3- are spectator ions

Writing Net Ionic Equations

1. Write the balanced molecular equation.
2. Write the ionic equation showing the strong electrolytes
completely dissociated into cations and anions.

3. Cancel the spectator ions on both sides of the ionic equation

Write the net ionic equation for the reaction of silver
nitrate with sodium chloride.

AgNO3 (aq) + NaCl (aq)

AgCl (s) + NaNO3 (aq)

Ag+ + NO3- + Na+ + Cl-

AgCl (s) + Na+ + NO3-

Ag+ + Cl-

AgCl (s)

Rules for Writing Ionic Equations

1. Strong electrolytes in solution are written in their ionic form.
2. Weak electrolytes are written in their molecular (un-ionized)
form.
3. Nonelectrolytes are written in their molecular form.
4. Insoluble substances, precipitates and gases are written in
their molecular forms.
5. The net ionic equation should include only substances that
have undergone a chemical change. Spectator ions are
omitted from the net ionic equation.
6. Equations must be balanced both in atoms and in electrical
charge.

Experiment
In this experiment a mixture of the solid salts sodium
phosphate dodecahydrate, Na3PO412H2O, and barium
chloride dihydrate, BaCl22H2O form a heterogeneous
mixture.
The mass of the solid mixture is measured and then the
mixture is added to water.
In an aqueous medium the two salts react together to
produce insoluble barium phosphate, Ba3(PO4)2.
2Na3PO4.12H2O(aq)+3BaCl2.2H2O(aq) Ba3(PO4)3 (s)+6NaCl(aq) + 30 H2O(l

Net ionic

2 PO43(aq) + 3 Ba2+(aq) Ba3(PO4)2 (s)

The solid Ba3(PO4)2 is filtered by gravity filtration and

dried and its mass is measured.

Solubility Test
To Check the solubility of BaCl22H2O and Na3PO412H2O in
water
Transfer with the tip of a spatula a small amount of BaCl22H2O
to a test tube (Label T1).
Add around 1.5 mL distilled water and swirl the test tube.
Check the solubility of the solid and record your observation
on the report sheet
Do not throw the solution.
Repeat with Na3PO412H2O a new test tube (Label T2).
(Use double the amount of barium chloride dihydrate used).
To check the solubility of the solid Ba3(PO4)2 formed
Add the contents of T1 to T2
Record your observation on the report sheet.

Testing for The Limiting Reactant

The limiting reactant for the formation of solid barium
precipitate is determined from two precipitation tests of
the solution obtained after filtration.
1. To test for the presence of excess barium ions
Add a phosphate reagent.
The formation of a precipitate indicates the presence
of an excess of barium and a limited amount of
phosphate in the solid mixture
2. To test for the presence of excess phosphate ions
Add with a barium reagent.
The formation of a precipitate indicates the presence
of an excess of phosphate ions and a limited amount
of barium in the solid mixture

Percent Composition of the Salt Mixture

After the identification of the limiting reactant
percent composition of the salt mixture can be
determined as follows:
1. Calculate the number of moles of precipitate
formed
2. Calculate the number of moles of limiting
reactant in the salt mixture
3. Calculate the mass of limiting reactant in salt
mixture
4. Calculate percent composition by mass of
both salts in salt mixture.