Question

Determine the limiting reactant in each of the following mixtures of reactants:

a. 2.0 mol of Fe and 6.0 mol of O2
b. 5.0 mol of Fe and 4.0 mol of O2
c. 16.0 mol of Fe and 20.0 mol of O2

Answer 1

To determine the limiting reactant, we compare the number of moles of each reactant to their stoichiometric coefficients. The reactant that produces the least amount of product is the limiting reactant. In mixture a, Fe is the limiting reactant. In mixture b, O2 is the limiting reactant. In mixture c, Fe is the limiting reactant.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the limiting reactant in each mixture of reactants, we need to compare the number of moles of each reactant to their stoichiometric coefficients in the balanced chemical equation. The reactant that produces the least amount of product is the limiting reactant. Let's calculate the moles of each reactant for each mixture:

a. Fe + O₂ → FeO:
Fe: 2.0 mol
O₂: 6.0 mol
Dividing by the coefficients, we get:
Fe: 2.0 mol / 1 = 2.0 mol
O₂: 6.0 mol / 2 = 3.0 mol
The limiting reactant is Fe.

b. 2 Fe + 3 O₂ → 2 Fe₂O₃:
Fe: 5.0 mol
O₂: 4.0 mol
Dividing by the coefficients, we get:
Fe: 5.0 mol / 2 = 2.5 mol
O₂: 4.0 mol / 3 = 1.33 mol
The limiting reactant is O₂.

c. 16 Fe + 5 O₂ → 8 Fe₂O₃:
Fe: 16.0 mol
O₂: 20.0 mol
Dividing by the coefficients, we get:
Fe: 16.0 mol / 16 = 1.0 mol
O₂: 20.0 mol / 5 = 4.0 mol
The limiting reactant is Fe.