Limiting and Excess Reactants

MARY CHILES COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, INC.
S.Y 2022-2023
November 16, 2022 – 2:00-3:00 PM

Ma’am Monique Joy G. Reyes
Subject Teacher
PHYSICAL SCIENCE – GRADE 12 – ABM, GAS & HUMSS - FIRST SEMESTER – SECOND QUARTER
Limiting 1. Differentiate Limiting and Excess Reagents
Reagents and 2. Analyze a chemical reaction in order to
Excess determine which reactant is the limiting
reactant and which is the excess reactant
Reagents
 The limiting reagent or reactant is that
reactant that is consumed first in a
chemical reaction.
 It is called limiting reactant because it

limits the extent of a chemical reaction.
 The maximum amount of product formed

depends on how much limiting reagent
was originally present.
 Excess reagents are the present in
quantities greater than necessary to
react with the quantity of the limiting
reagent.
 These reactants are what left after

the limiting reactant is fully
consumed.
Determining the Limiting Reactant
Why do we need to determine limiting reactant in a
chemical reaction?
 Knowing the limiting reagent in a chemical reaction is

very important because the quantity of this reactant will
determine the maximum amount of product that can be
obtained from a chemical reaction.
Sample Problem:
NH3 + O2  NO + H2O
NH3 = 17.0 g/mol O2 = 32.0 g/mol
NO = 30.0 g/mol H2O = 18.0 g/mol
In an experiment, 3.25 g of NH3 are allowed to react with 3.50 g of O2.

A. Which is the limiting reagent?
B. Which reactant is the excess reagent?
C. How many grams of NO are formed?
D. How much of the excess reactant remains in grams after the
reaction
Sample Problem:
NH3 + O2  NO + H2O
1. Start by writing the balanced chemical equation for the reaction.
4NH3 + 5O2  4NO + 6H2O

Sample Problem:
4NH3 + 5O2  4NO + 6H2O
2. Convert all given quantities of the reactants into number of mole.
g to mol
Conversion Factor: Molar Mass
Sample Problem:
4NH3 + 5O2  4NO + 6H2O
3. Use the mole ratio from the balanced equation to calculate the number
of moles of product produced by each reactant.
mol NH3 / O2  mol NO
Conversion Factor: Molar Ratio
Sample Problem:
4NH3 + 5O2  4NO + 6H2O
3. Use the mole ratio from the balanced equation to calculate the number
of moles of product produced by each reactant.
A. Limiting Reagent: O2 produces less product and therefore of the limiting reagent
B. Excess Reagent: NH3

Sample Problem:
4NH3 + 5O2  4NO + 6H2O
4. How many grams of NO are formed?
mol NO  g NO
Conversion Factor: Molar Mass
C. How many grams of NO are formed?

Answer: 2.62 g of NO
Sample Problem:
4NH3 + 5O2  4NO + 6H2O
5. How much excess reactant remains after the reaction?
The amount of NH3 in excess can be calculated by determining the amount of NH3
that reacted to produced 0.0872 moles of NO.
The amount of excess reactant left over is the difference between the initial amount
and the amount reacted.
mol NO  mol NH3  g NH3
Conversion Factor: Molar Ratio
Sample Problem:
4NH3 + 5O2  4NO + 6H2O
The amount of NH3 in excess can be calculated by determining the amount of NH3
that reacted to produced 0.0872 moles of NO.
The amount of excess reactant left over is the difference between the initial amount
and the amount reacted.
Amount of NH3 left over = 3.25g – 1.49 g NH3 = 1.76 g NH3

Answer: 1.76 g NH3
2. What is the greatest amount of AlCl3 (in grams) that can be made with 114 grams of Al and 186
grams of Cl2? Which is the limiting reactant? Which reactant is in excess, and how many grams of it are
left over?
2Al + 3Cl2  2AlCl3

1.Convert all given information into moles (most likely, through the use of molar mass as
a conversion factor).
2. What is the greatest amount of AlCl3 (in grams) that can be made with 114 grams of Al and 186 grams of Cl2? Which is the
limiting reactant? Which reactant is in excess, and how many grams of it are left over?
2. Calculate the mole ratio from the given information. Compare the calculated ratio to the actual ratio.
4.23 moles Al 2.62 moles Cl2
To use all of Al, how many mole of Cl2 do we need?
We need 6.35 moles of Cl2 to use all of the Al.
To use all of Cl2, how many mole of Al do we need?
We need 1.75 moles of Al to use all of the Cl2.

To use all of Al, how many mole of Cl2 do we need?

We need 6.35 moles of Cl2 to use all of the Al.
To use all of Cl2, how many mole of Al do we need?
We need 1.75 moles of Al to use all of the Cl2.
We have enough Al to use all of the Cl2, but we don’t have enough Cl2 to use all of the Al.
= Cl2 is limiting reactant
3. Use the amount of limiting reactant to calculate the amount of product produced.
Cl2 is limiting reactant

How many mole of AlCl3 can we make if we use all the Cl2
Convert moles to grams
4. Calculate how much is left in excess of the non-limiting reactant.
Cl2 is limiting reactant

Al is excess reactant.
Excess Reactant = Total Reactant – Reactant Used

4.23 moles Al - 1.75 moles of Al =
2.48 moles Al - Excess Reactant
2. What is the greatest amount of AlCl3 (in grams) that can be made with 114 grams of Al and 186 grams
of Cl2? Which is the limiting reactant? Which reactant is in excess, and how many grams of it are left
over? 2Al + 3Cl2  2AlCl3
4. Calculate how much is left in excess of the non-limiting reactant.
Excess Reactant = Total Reactant – Reactant Used

4.23 moles Al - 1.75 moles of Al =
2.48 moles Al (Excess Reactant)
Convert moles - grams
2. What is the greatest amount of AlCl3 (in grams) that can be made with 114 grams of
Al and 186 grams of Cl2? Which is the limiting reactant? Which reactant is in excess,
and how many grams of it are left over?

Limiting Reactant – Cl2

Product Produced – 233 g AlCl3
Excess Reactant – Al
Computed Excess Reactant – 66.9g Al
How to Find the Limiting Reagent: Approach 1
• Find the limiting reagent by looking at the number of moles of each
reactant.
• Determine the balanced chemical equation for the chemical reaction.
• Convert all given information into moles (most likely, through the use of
molar mass as a conversion factor).
• Calculate the mole ratio from the given information. Compare the
calculated ratio to the actual ratio.
• Use the amount of limiting reactant to calculate the amount of product
produced.
• If necessary, calculate how much is left in excess of the non-limiting
reagent.
How to Find the Limiting Reagent: Approach 2
• Find the limiting reagent by calculating and comparing the amount of product
each reactant will produce.
• Balance the chemical equation for the chemical reaction.
• Convert the given information into moles.
• Use stoichiometry for each individual reactant to find the mass of product
produced.
• The reactant that produces a lesser amount of product is the limiting reagent.
• The reactant that produces a larger amount of product is the excess reagent.
• To find the amount of remaining excess reactant, subtract the mass of excess
reagent consumed from the total mass of excess reagent given

Limiting and Excess Reactants

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Limiting and Excess Reactants

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MARY CHILES COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, INC.

November 16, 2022 – 2:00-3:00 PM

 It is called limiting reactant because it

 The maximum amount of product formed

 These reactants are what left after

 Knowing the limiting reagent in a chemical reaction is

In an experiment, 3.25 g of NH3 are allowed to react with 3.50 g of O2.

4NH3 + 5O2  4NO + 6H2O

B. Excess Reagent: NH3

C. How many grams of NO are formed?

Amount of NH3 left over = 3.25g – 1.49 g NH3 = 1.76 g NH3

5. How much excess reactant remains after the reaction?

2Al + 3Cl2  2AlCl3

2Al + 3Cl2  2AlCl3

To use all of Al, how many mole of Cl2 do we need?

We need 6.35 moles of Cl2 to use all of the Al.

2Al + 3Cl2  2AlCl3

To use all of Cl2, how many mole of Al do we need?

We need 1.75 moles of Al to use all of the Cl2.

2Al + 3Cl2  2AlCl3

To use all of Al, how many mole of Cl2 do we need?

2Al + 3Cl2  2AlCl3

Cl2 is limiting reactant

Convert moles to grams

Cl2 is limiting reactant

Excess Reactant = Total Reactant – Reactant Used

4.23 moles Al 2.62 moles Cl2

4. Calculate how much is left in excess of the non-limiting reactant.

Excess Reactant = Total Reactant – Reactant Used

Convert moles - grams

2Al + 3Cl2  2AlCl3

Limiting Reactant – Cl2

You might also like