Basic Question

[CNourian2H]

Is there only one limiting reactant in a reaction? Can there be 2 limiting reactants?

Or, what happens if there is the same amount of 2 reactants? What would that be called?

[Kellylin_4D]

There is usually only 1 limiting reactant because you only need one thing to run out for the whole chemical reaction to stop. I'm not sure what it is called when the proportions are perfect and there's no limiting reactant though.

[105335337]

There can only be one or zero limiting reactants. If there were two limiting reactants, both would be in perfect amounts, or perfect proportions, fully completing both amounts of reactants. Therefore, there can only be one. When there is no limiting reactant, it is known as a complete reaction.

[Caroline Zepecki]

Technically, it's impossible to have two limiting reactants, because that would mean that both of the reagents would be being used in full. And the definition of a limiting reactant is the one left over in excess. Thus, you could really only have one or zero limiting reactants because you can have an excess of one of the reactants, but not both if the chemical process completes itself.

[kendal mccarthy]

There is only one limiting reactant usually, but like you said if the given amount of reactants make the same amount of product then both could be used in calculations that require a LR. Meaning you could choose either one to go forward with the problem because it wouldn't matter in the end.

[Jasmine Summers 4G]

For there to be 2 limiting reactants, I think there would need to be equal amounts of them, which doesn't usually happen.

[Michael Du 1E]

There is only one limiting reagent. It is very rare to find two reactants/ reagents that consists of the same moles.

[Brynne Burrows 3K]

There can only be one limiting reactant in a chemical reaction. Sometimes the reactants are present in equal amounts so there would be none in this case.

[Jake Gallardo 3G]

There can only be one limiting reactant, very uncommon for a problem to have two.

[Alexa Hernandez 3k]

EXTREMELY unlikely ...

[Qilan Li 4I]

It would be very unlikely for there to be two limiting reactants because they would have to be of the same amount.

[MaryBanh_2K]

Hi Candice!

The limiting reaction is when a reaction has more of one reactant and less of another causing the amount of product to be limited. Therefore, it is very unlikely for there to be only two limiting reactants. In that case, they would have to be the same amount of reactants which would not make sense. Hope this clarifies your misunderstanding!