Final answer:
Mole ratios are essential in stoichiometry for comparing amounts of substances in a chemical reaction, converting between different substances using the stoichiometric factor, and ultimately allowing the calculation of masses or volumes from balanced chemical equations.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is necessary to use mole ratios in solving stoichiometry problems because they provide a method for comparing the amounts of any two substances involved in a chemical reaction. When dealing with a balanced chemical equation, the equation itself is balanced in terms of moles, not weights or volumes. To perform stoichiometry calculations, mole-mass calculations, and mole ratios are essential.
The sequence to solve mass-based stoichiometry problems is to first convert the masses of reactants to moles using their molar mass. Then, we use the mole ratios from the balanced equation to find out how many moles of one substance will react with or produce a given number of moles of another substance. Finally, we can convert these mole amounts back into masses if the problem requires it. This process requires an understanding of both mole-to-mole conversions and mole-to-mass conversions.
Summary:
Mole ratios allow us to convert between moles of different substances in a balanced chemical equation.
These ratios, known as the stoichiometric factor, are vital in predicting how much product will be formed from a certain amount of reactant, in moles.
Mole-mass calculations, combined with mole ratios, help us relate measurable quantities (like mass) to stoichiometric proportions in chemical equations.