STOICHIOMETRY

The branch of Chemistry that deals with quantities of substances in chemical reactions
is known as stoichiometry.
A balanced chemical reaction can show how much of a certain product is made, given a
certain amount of reactant, since coefficients represent number of particles.
Coefficients in a balanced equation represent the numbers of particles for each
substance in a reaction, but in a practical sense, they represent moles.
2H2 + 1O2 2H2O

Mole Ratio
In stoichiometry problems, the mole ratio (obtained from the coefficients in a balanced
equation) lets you convert from moles of a known substance to moles of an unknown
substance.
The mole ratio is obtained by first balancing the equation. Using coefficients from the
balanced equation, set up the mole ratio with the known substance on the bottom (mole
units with chemical, and the unknown substance on top (mole units and chemical)).
Mole numbers are from the coefficients.
The Mole ratio is setup in fraction form just like any other conversion factor, except now
it converts given chemicals to unknown or asked for chemicals.
For the balanced equation:
N2 + 3H2 2NH3
How many moles of hydrogen are needed to prepare 312 moles ammonia?
NH3 = ammonia

Steps in Stoichiometry
1. Balance equation
2. Write what is given (#, unit, and chemical)
3. Convert to moles of the chemical given if not already in moles
4. Calculate mole ratio and setup as a conversion factor to convert to unknown
chemical
5. Convert out of moles if problem asks for unknown chemical in different unit.