Limiting Reactant [ENDORSED]

[Sean Phen]

How do you solve for the limiting reactant?

[SamayaJoshi1A]

Hi!


You have to find the moles and then see which one produces the least amount of product. That will determine how much of each product is created.

[Morgan Gee 3B]

Solve for the moles present in the reactants by using molar mass and dimensional analysis. Then, divide all mols of reactants by the molecule that is the least present. This gives the ratio of reactants present all in relation to one chemical. Using this information, look at the balanced chemical reaction and determine which chemical is lacking based on the ratio calculated. This is the limiting reactant.

[Valerie Tran 2B]

1. Balance the reaction
2. Convert into moles.
3. Use stoichiometry for each individual reactant to find the mass of the product produced.
The reactant that produces a lesser amount of product is the limiting reagent.

[Silvi_Lybbert_3A]

1) Balance equation
2) Convert grams of reactants into moles
3) Figure out how many moles needed for the given amount of one of the reactants.
4) Compare these needed amount with the amount given. Is it greater than or less than what you need? Identify the limiting reactant.

If it asks for the theoretical yield of the product, use the limiting reactant and mole ratios to find how much of the product would be produced. If it gives an experimental actual yield and asks for percent yield, use this formula: (actual yield/theoretical yield) *100%.

[Jiwon_Chae_3L]

You just have to do stoichiometry to find out which reactant produces the least amount of product.

[Zoe Dhalla 3I]

There are many scenarios that ask for a limiting reactant but this explanation is if you are given the mass of both your reactants in grams.

If it is a word problem first write out the chemical reaction and balance it.

Next, if you are given the grams of the reactants, covert those into moles by dividing each reactant by their respective molar mass.

Next, divide the moles of the reactants by their respective coefficients.

The smallest number is the limiting reactant.

Based on the moles of limiting reagent, Calculate moles of product that can form

Then, Convert moles of P to grams (use molar mass)

Lastly, Convert moles of P to grams (use molar mass), this is the theoretical (Maximum) yield.

Sometimes you will be asked to calculate the percent yield. This can be solved with the equation Percent yield = actual yield/theoretical yield x 100%


Hope this helps!

[Veronica Larson- 1I]

You can first convert all of the reactants they give you into moles, and make sure you have a correct balanced equation. Then, you can look at the coefficients to find the ratios of the reactants and see which one is in excess to find the limiting reagent. You could also calculate the amount of product that is produced by each, and find which produces the least amount of product (that would be the limiting one).

[tim_villasenor 1k]

An extra step that you can complete after calculating the amount in moles of the limiting reactant that will be used up, is calculating the amount of excess that is left of the other reactant. This can be useful to know how much of a certain reactant is left over due to excess. In order to calculate this, subtract the amount in grams of the reactant, which will be used up until the limiting reactant runs out, from the total amount of grams of the reactant that was determined at the start of the experiment. Watch out for any coefficients which may be in the chemical equation. Hope this helps. :)

[Heba Bounar 3K]

Hi!

To calculate the limiting reactant, first find the moles for each of the reactants. If given the mass of each reactant, you can find the moles by dividing each reactant by their respective molar masses. Then, divide each of those values by their respective coefficients. The reactant with the smallest value is the limiting reactant as it is the reactant that runs out first.

Hope this helps!

[Janys Li - 1L]

Hi!

If you are given masses, convert them into numbers of moles by dividing the mass by the molar mass of the species. Then, divide the number of moles by the stoichiometric coefficient of the compound. The one with a lower number is the limiting reactant.

[Janys Li - 1L]

Hi!

If you are given masses, convert them into numbers of moles by dividing the mass by the molar mass of the species. Then, divide the number of moles by the stoichiometric coefficient of the compound. The one with a lower number is the limiting reactant.

[Joseph Liao 3C]

So the limiting reactant is simply whichever reactant will run out first in chemical reaction. In general, you're going to want to convert everything to mols first. Then, I would divide the number of mols of each reactant by their coefficients. Whichever one of these is the lowest is the limiting reactant, and is what is going to stop the reaction from occurring any further once it runs out.

[SerenaSabedra]

Hi! I personally like to divide the given number of moles by the number of moles required for a reaction to occur. I do this with all reactants, and whichever reactant can finish an equation the least is now the limiting reactant.

[Litsa Dimit 1D]

There are steps to finding the limiting reactant
1. Identify the reactants and products
2. Write a balanced equation
3. Calculate the Molar Mass of each reactant and product
4. Convert known masses to moles
5. Compare calculated moles to required moles to determine the limiting reactant.

[Junyong Wu]

1. balance the equation
2. solve for molar mass of each reactant and product
3. convert molar mass to moles
4. the smallest will be the limiting reactant

[Jiayin Yola Yan 1G]

Hi! The process goes as follows:
1. identify the reactants and products
2. write a balanced equation for the reaction
3. calculate molar mass of each product and reactant
4. convert known mass of each reactant and product
5. compare calculated moles to required moles

[Dongfang Tian 1L]

First to identify reactant and product. Then write down and balance the equation showing reactions. After writing down, calculating the molar mass of each reactant and product and convert the known masses in to moles. At last, comparing calculated moles to required ones to determine which is the limiting reactant.

[oliviahelou]

I see that a lot of people gave you interesting replies, however, you can always rewatch the professor's class, he deals with concrete examples and shows you what he does step by step! There's also a module on his website that guides you through the process!