Question

70.00 g of compound a (molar mass = 132.10 g/mol) and 19.75 g compound b (molar mass = 55.56 g/mol) react completely to form 22.10 g compound c (molar mass = 62.56 g/mol) and 67.65 g compound d (molar mass = 95.52 g/mol) with neither reactant in excess. What is the coefficient for compound c in the chemical equation for this reaction when balanced in lowest whole-numbers?

Answer 1

To find the coefficient for compound C, one must convert its mass to moles using its molar mass; the moles then give an indication of the coefficient in the balanced equation. However, without more information on the other compounds' coefficients, a definitive coefficient for compound C cannot be determined.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the coefficient for compound C in the balanced chemical equation, we need to first convert the masses of the compounds to moles using their respective molar masses. Calculate the moles of compound C using its mass (22.10 g) and molar mass (62.56 g/mol) as follows:

moles of compound C = mass of compound C / molar mass of compound C
= 22.10 g / 62.56 g/mol
= 0.353 moles of compound C

Since there are no excess reactants, the reaction should balance with the given moles of products. Thus, the moles of compound C directly give us its coefficient in the balanced equation, provided that the other compounds have coefficients that result in no excess reactants. In this case, 0.353 moles suggest the coefficient for compound C is close to a whole number, which is likely the scenario in a balanced equation.

However, without information about the coefficients of the other compounds, we cannot definitively determine the coefficient for compound C. It is necessary to know the entire balanced equation to deduce the exact coefficients for all reactants and products.