Final answer:
To find the maximum mass of Li3N that can be produced, one must identify the limiting reactant between lithium and nitrogen by comparing the mole ratio from the given masses to the stoichiometry of the balanced equation and then calculate the mass of product based on the moles of the limiting reactant.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student has asked about the maximum mass of Li3N that can be produced from combining 3.50 g of lithium (Li) with 3.50 g of nitrogen (N2). To answer this question, one must first determine the limiting reactant by using stoichiometry based on the balanced chemical equation for the reaction, which is 6Li(s) + N2(g) → 2Li3N(s). Using the molar masses of lithium and nitrogen, we can convert the mass of each reactant to moles and then use the stoichiometry of the balanced equation to determine which reactant will run out first. This is the limiting reactant, which dictates the maximum amount of product that can be formed.
For every mole of N2, six moles of Li are required. By finding the mole ratio from given masses, we will identify the reactant that produces the least amount of product, thus being the limiting reactant. To find the maximum mass of Li3N that can be produced, we use the moles of the limiting reactant and the molar mass of Li3N to convert it back to grams.