Question

To determine the limiting reactant in a chemical reaction, you need to know all of the following except?

1) the mass of each product formed
2) the coefficient of each reactant in a balanced equation
3) the molar mass of each reactant present
4) the mass of each reactant present

Answer 1

To determine the limiting reactant, it's necessary to balance the chemical equation, convert reactants to moles, compare mole ratios, and calculate product amounts; knowing the mass of each reactant present is not required.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the limiting reactant in a chemical reaction, you do not need to know the mass of each reactant present initially. Instead, it is essential to carry out a series of steps involving stoichiometric calculations. These steps include:

1. Balance the chemical equation for the reaction.
2. Convert the given information into moles of each reactant.
3. Compare the mole ratio of the reactants with the ratio in the balanced equation.
4. Calculate the number of moles of product that can be made from each reactant.

The limiting reactant is the one that produces the least amount of product, and the final step involves determining which reactant that is. This approach allows you to find both the limiting reactant and the quantity of excess reactant that remains after the completion of the reaction.