Final answer:
To determine the limiting reactant, convert the masses of each reactant to moles and calculate the moles of AlCl3 that can be formed. The reactant that produces the smallest number of moles of AlCl3 is the limiting reactant, which is Al(OH)3 in this case.
Step-by-step explanation:
When determining the limiting reactant in a chemical reaction, you need to compare the amount of each reactant to the stoichiometric amounts represented in the balanced chemical equation.
In this case, you have 312.04g of Al(OH)3 and 401.06g of HCl. To find the limiting reactant, you need to convert the masses of both reactants to moles. Then, calculate how many moles of AlCl3 could be formed based on each reactant. The reactant that produces the smallest number of moles of AlCl3 is the limiting reactant.
After performing the calculations, you will find that the limiting reactant is Al(OH)3.