Question

If 194g of ZnS is heated in the presence of 256g O2 to produce SO2. What is the limiting reactant? ZnS+2O2 2ZnO+SO2

Answer 1

ZnS is the limiting reactant.

Step-by-step explanation:

Hello!

In this case, given the chemical reaction:

`2ZnS+3O_2 \rightarrow 2ZnO+2SO_2`

Whereas there is a 2:2 and 3:2 mole ratios of the reactants to the SO2 product respectively. In such a way, we need to compute the moles of SO2 product that are yielded by each reaction as shown below:

`n_(SO_2)^(by\ ZnS)=194gZnS*(1molZnS)/(97.47gZnS) *(2molSO_2)/(2molZnS) =1.99molSO_2\\\\n_(SO_2)^(by\ O_2)=256gO_2*(1molO_2)/(32.00gO_2) *(2molSO_2)/(3molO_2) =5.33molSO_2`

Thus, since zinc sulfide produces the fewest moles of SO2, we infer it is the limiting reactant.

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