Mole – Mole Ratios

A balanced chemical equation tells us many things, including how many moles of
one compound are required to produce a number of moles of another compound.

For example, let’s assume that you want to perform the following reaction and
that you want 4 moles of Copper I nitrate out of it.

Cu + 2HNO3 → CuNO3 + H2O + NO2

We could ask several questions here. One question could be how many moles of
HNO3 do we have to start with in order to get 4 moles of copper I nitrate?

To answer that question, we need to write down the mole ratio between HNO3
and CuNO3 from the balanced equation. You can write it two ways:

2 moles HNO3 or 1 mole CuNO3

1 mole CuNO3 2 moles HNO3

Now, to solve the problem we write down the number given in the problem (the 4
moles of copper I nitrate) and multiply it by the mole ratio that has the desired
compound on top (in this case, the HNO3).

So, 4 mole CuNO3 X 2 moles HNO3 = 8 mole HNO3

1 mole CuNO3

The moles of copper I nitrate cancel out and we are left with 8 moles of nitric
acid. That means, in order to produce 4 moles of copper I nitrate, we have to
start with 8 moles of nitric acid.

GP1 Write the mole ratio for Cu and 1 mole Cu

1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝐶𝑢
2 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝐻𝑁03
HNO3 from the equation given
above.

GP2 If you had 1.7 moles of HNO3, 1.7 moles of HNo3 x

1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝐶𝑢
2 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝐻𝑁03
how many moles of copper would
= 0.85 mole of Cu
be required to completely react
with it?

GP3 Write the mole ratio between 1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑁𝑂2

1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝐶𝑢𝑁𝑂3
nitrogen dioxide (smog) and
copper I nitrate.
GP4 If you produced 0.88 moles of 0.88 moles of CuNo3 x
1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑁𝑜2
1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝐶𝑢𝑁03
copper I nitrate, how many moles
=0.88 mole of No2
of smog would also be
produced?

Now you try (independent practice)

1) Write the balanced equation for the decomposition of solid aluminum

hydroxide into solid aluminum oxide and liquid water.

2Al(OH)3 (S) →Al2O3 (s) + 3 H2O (I)

1A Write the mole ratio between 2 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐴𝑙(𝑂𝐻)3

3 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐻20
aluminum hydroxide and water.

1B How many moles of water can be 15.6 moles of hydroxide x

produced from the decomposition 3 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐻2𝑂
=23.4 mole of H2O
2 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐴𝑙(𝑂𝐻)3
of 15.6 moles of aluminum
hydroxide?

1C How many moles of aluminum 15.6 moles of hydroxide x

oxide would be produced in the 1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐴𝑙2𝑂3
=
2 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐴𝑙(𝑂𝐻)3
same reaction?

2) Write the balanced equation for the combustion of gaseous dicarbon

hexahydride into carbon dioxide gas and dihydrogen monoxide gas.
Remember that combustion requires oxygen (O2) as a reactant.

2 C2H6(g) +7O2 (g) →4CO2 (g) + 6H2O (g)

2A Write the mole ratio between 2 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐶2𝐻
dicarbon hexahydride and carbon 4 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝐶𝑂2
dioxide.

2B How many moles of carbon 3.55 moles of carbon hexahydride x

dioxide will be produced if 3.55 4 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝐶𝑂2
= 7.1 moles of carbon
2 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝐶2𝐻6
moles of carbon hexahydride are
hexahydride
burned?

2C How many moles of oxygen gas 3.55 moles of carbon hexahydride x

would be consumed in the same 7 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑂2
= 12.425 moles of O2
2 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝐶2𝐻6
reaction?

3) Write the balanced equation for the reaction between solid magnesium
nitride and liquid dihydrogen monoxide which produces solid magnesium
hydroxide and nitrogen trihydride in aqueous solution.

Mg3N2 (s) + 6 H2O (I) →3 Mg(OH)2 (s) + 2 NH3 (aqueous solution)

3A Write the mole ratio between 1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑀𝑔3𝑁2

2 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑁𝐻3
magnesium nitride and nitrogen
trihydride.

3B How many moles of nitrogen 18.5 moles of magnesium nitride x

trihydride can be produced when 2 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑁𝐻3
= 37 mole of NH3
1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑀𝑔3𝑁2
18.5 moles of magnesium nitride
are available to react?

3C How many moles of dihydrogen 18.5 moles of magnesium nitride x

monoxide are required to 6 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑁𝐻3
= 111 moles of NH3
1 𝑚𝑜𝑙𝑒 𝑀𝑔3𝑁2
completely react in the same
reaction?