Question

When 1.50 mol of solid aluminum metal reacts with 3.00 mol of chlorine gas (CI2), aluminum chloride solid is formed. Which is the limiting reactant?

Answer 1

Aluminum is limiting reactant

Step-by-step explanation:

Data Given:

Amount aluminum metal (Al) = 1.5 mole

chlorine gas (Cl₂) = 3 mole

limiting reactant = ?

Solution:

limiting reactant: The amount of reactant that consume first in a reaction is termed as limiting reagent or limiting reactant.

Excess reagent: the amount of reactant that remain unreacted at the end of the reaction is termed as excess reagent.

Now to look for the limiting regent we have to look at reaction

Reaction:

2 Al + 3 Cl₂ --------> 2 AlCl₃

from this balance reaction we come to know that 2 mole of Aluminum metal react with 3 mole of chlorine gas. It means that amount of aluminum is less and it will consume first and act as limiting reactant.

To know with how much chlorine gas it will react apply unity formula

2 mole of Al ≅ 3 mole of Cl₂

1.5 mole of Al ≅ X mole of Cl₂

So,

mole of Cl₂ = 3 mole x 1.5 mole / 2 mol

mole of Cl₂ = 2.25 mol

So, 1.5 mol Aluminum consumed fully and react with 2.25 mol of Chlorine and 0.75 mol remain unreacted.

Aluminum is limiting reactant.