Final answer:
The limiting reagent is the substance that is completely consumed first in a chemical reaction, limiting the amount of product that can be formed. Mass-mass calculations are used to determine which reactant is the limiting one and the remaining quantities of other reactants.
Step-by-step explanation:
The limiting reagent, or limiting reactant, is the substance in a chemical reaction that runs out first, thus limiting the amount of product that can be formed. When performing mass-mass calculations, we can calculate the amount of product that will be formed by the limiting reagent and also determine the amount of excess reagent(s) that will remain after the completion of the reaction.
To identify the limiting reagent, we must perform mass-mass or mole-mass calculations. The reactant that yields the smallest amount of product will be the limiting reagent. The identification of the limiting reagent allows chemists to understand the reaction yield and is crucial in both laboratory and industrial settings to ensure that reactions are carried out efficiently.