CHM134

EXPERIMENT: EXPERIMENT 3 LIMITING REAGENT OF REACTION

LAB INSTRUCTORS DR MOHD ZULI JAAFAR
NAME:
CLASS: M3AT1102A
STUDENTS NAME: MUHAMMAD ADIB BIN AZAHARI
MARKS:
COMMENT:
INTRODUCTION

The limiting reagent is the reactant that completely used up in a reaction and thus determines when the
reaction stops. From stoichiometry, one can calculate the exact amount of reactant needed to react
with another element. If the reactants are not mixed in the correct stoichiometric proportions (as seen
in the balanced chemical equation), then one of the reactants will be entirely consumed while another
will be left over in excess. The limiting reagent is the one that is totally consumed. The limiting reagent
limits the reaction from continuing because there is none left to react with the excess reactant.

For this experiment, the reaction is between sodium carbonate, Na 2CO3 and calcium nitrate, Ca(NO3)2.
The colour of products obtain is white solid of calcium carbonate, CaCO 3. At the end of the experiments,
students will be able to determine the limiting reactant and calculate the percentage yield of the
products using the formula below.

Actual yield
Percent Yield = ×100
Theoretical yield

Actual Yield : Amount of product actually obtained (experimental)

Theoretical Yield : Maximum amount of product obtained (calculated from chemical equation)

OBJECTIVES

1. To determine the limiting reagent from the reaction between sodium carbonate and calcium
nitrate.
2. To calculate the percentage yield of calcium carbonate.

APPARATUS

I. Beakers (100 mL)

II. Measuring cylinder (10 mL)
III. Filter funnel
IV. Conical flask (100 mL)
V. Filter paper
VI. Glass rod
VII. Watch glass
VIII. Oven
CHEMICALS

I. Sodium carbonate, Na2CO3

II. Calcium nitrate, Ca(NO3)2
III. Distilled water

PROCEDURE

1. First we get the mass of a dry piece of filter paper and record the mass.
2. We then prepare two solutions:
a. Solution A: Weigh 0.50 g Na2CO3 in a clean and dry 100 mL beaker. Add exactly 10 mL of
distilled water into the beaker.
b. Solution B: Weigh 1.00 g Ca(NO3)2 in a clean and dry 100 mL beaker. Add exactly 10 mL of
distilled water into the beaker.
3. We mix both solution A and Solution b and stir the mixture with a glass rod.
4. After the solution was mixed, we then get the filter funnel and fold as instructed (Figure 2). After
fold the filter funnel, we wet the sides with distilled water.
5. We put the mix solutions into filter funnel and filter paper until solution in conical flask becomes
clear.
6. After we filtered the solutions, we take the filter paper on the watch glass and put them in the
oven at 70OC. Then we wait until the filter to dry for 30-35 minutes. Then we record the mass of
the filter paper and the solid.

RESULT

Mass of Na2CO3 (g) 0.5019

Mass of Ca(NO3)2 (g) 1.0246
Mass of filter paper (g) 1.0990
Mass of CaCO3 precipitate + filter paper (g) 1.5424
Mass of CaCO3 precipitate (g) 0.4434

CALCULATIONS

1. Write a balanced chemical equation including phases for the reaction.

Na 2 CO 3(solid )+ Ca¿ ¿

2. Determine the limiting reagent for the reaction.

1) Mole of Na2CO3
0.5019 g
106 g /mol
=0.00473490566 mol
 2) Mole of Ca(NO3)2

1.0246
220 g /mol
=0.00465727272 mol

3) Divide moles of Na2CO3 and Ca(NO3)2 with their stoichiometric coefficients

i. Na2CO3

0.00473490566 mol
=0.00465727272 mol
1
ii. Ca(NO3)2

0.00465727272mol
=0.00465727272mol
1

3. Calculate the expected mass of CaCO 3 produced from the masses of Na2CO3 and Ca(NO3)2.

1 mol CaC O 3
0.00473490566 mol=0.00473490566 mol Na2 CO 3
1 mol Na2 CO3
= 0.00473490566 mol CaC O3

Mass of CaC O3

= mol × molar massCaC O3

¿ 0.00473490566 mol ×100.0 g/mol

¿ 0.4734 gTheoritical Yield

4. Determine the percentage yield CaCO 3

0.4434
× 100 %
0.4734
=93.66%