Question

Chlorine gas can be prepared in the laboratory by the reaction of hydrochloric acid with manganese(IV) oxide. 4HCl(aq)+MnO2(s)⟶MnCl2(aq)+2H2O(l)+Cl2(g) A sample of 37.7 g MnO2 is added to a solution containing 46.3 g HCl. What is the limiting reactant? HCl MnO2

Answer 1

HCl is the limiting reactant.

Step-by-step explanation:

The reactant that yields the lesser number of moles of product is the limiting reactant

Number of moles of MnO2= mass of MnO2/ molar mass of MnO2

Number of moles= 37.7g/86.9368 g/mol= 0.4336 moles

From the reaction equation,

If 1 mole of MnO2 yields 1 mole of chlorine gas

0.4336 moles of MnO2 also yield 0.4336 moles of chlorine gas

For HCl

Number of moles of HCl= mass of HCl/ molar mass of HCl

Number of moles= 46.3g/36.46 g/mol = 1.27 moles of HCl

If 4 moles of HCl yields 1 mole of chlorine gas

1.27 moles of HCl will yield 1.27×1/4 = 0.3175 moles of HCl

Hence HCl is the limiting reactant.