Limiting Reactant

Limiting Reactant - The reactant in a chemical reaction that limits the

amount of product that can be formed. The reaction will stop when all of the
limiting reactant is consumed.
Excess Reactant - The reactant in a chemical reaction that remains when a
reaction stops when the limiting reactant is completely consumed. The
excess reactant remains because there is nothing with which it can react.

No matter how many tires there are, if there are only 8 car bodies, then only
8 cars can be made. Likewise with chemistry, if there is only a certain
amount of one reactant available for a reaction, the reaction must stop when
that reactant is consumed whether or not the other reactant has been used up.
Example Limiting Reactant Calculation:
A 2.00 g sample of ammonia is mixed with 4.00 g of oxygen. Which is the
limiting reactant and how much excess reactant remains after the reaction
has stopped?
First, we need to create a balanced equation for the reaction:

4 NH3(g) + 5 O2(g)4 NO(g) + 6 H2O(g)

Next we can use stoichiometry to calculate how much product is produced
by each reactant. NOTE: It does not matter which product is chosen, but
the same product must be used for both reactants so that the amounts can be
compared.

The reactant that produces the lesser amount of product: in this case the
oxygen.
Next, to find the amount of excess reactant, we must calculate how much of
the non-limiting reactant (oxygen) actually did react with the limiting
reactant (ammonia).
We're not finished yet though. 1.70 g is the amount of ammonia that
reacted, not what is left over. To find the amount of excess reactant
remaining, subtract the amount that reacted from the amount in the original
sample.

1. A sample contains 27.1 g of calcium oxide. How many moles of calcium

oxide are in the sample?
NOTE: Use the Periodic Table to find the molecular
mass (grams per mole)

2. How many atoms are in 0.652 mol of iron?

NOTE: A mole is by definition 6.0220 x 1023 particles
which can generally be rounded to 6.02 x 1023.

3. How many liters does 3.8 moles of O2 occupy at STP

(standard temperature and pressure)?
NOTE: At STP, 1 mole of any gas = 22.4L. STP is 273K
(0C) and 1 atm.

4. A solution of NaCl has a molarity of 0.549 M. How many

moles are in 350. mL of this solution?
NOTE: Molarity is MOLES per LITER. The volume in
milliliters must be converted to Liters.

5. How many grams of sodium hydroxide are needed to make

250. mL of a 0.200 M solution?

6. How many grams of carbon dioxide are there in a container

with a volume of 4.50L at STP?

7. How many moles of nitrogen are there in a 7.45 mol sample

of ammonium phosphate?
8. If 120. g of propane, C3H8, is burned in excess oxygen, how
many grams of water are formed?

9. 90.0 g of FeCl3 reacts with 52.0 g of H2S. What is the

limiting reactant? What is the mass of HCl produced? What
mass of excess reactant remains after the reaction?
NOTE: The limiting reactant is the reactant that limits the
amount of product that can be formed and is completely
consumed during the reaction. The excess reactant is the
reactant that is left over once the reaction has stopped
due to the limiting reactant.