Two people were given 1.75 g salicylic acid and 2.00 mL of acetic anhydride. If the density of acetic anhydride is 1.0820 g/mL, how many grams of aspirin could they have prepared.

Is the answer 4.7 g

I worked the problem and obtained 2.28 g each or 4.56 for the two of them. Check me out on that. According to my calculations, SA is the limiting reagent.

To calculate the grams of aspirin that could have been prepared, we need to consider the reaction between salicylic acid and acetic anhydride.

First, let's calculate the number of moles of salicylic acid and acetic anhydride provided:

Given: Mass of salicylic acid = 1.75 g
Given: Volume of acetic anhydride = 2.00 mL
Given: Density of acetic anhydride = 1.0820 g/mL

Step 1: Calculate the mass of acetic anhydride provided:
Mass of acetic anhydride = Volume of acetic anhydride x Density of acetic anhydride
Mass of acetic anhydride = 2.00 mL x 1.0820 g/mL

Step 2: Calculate the number of moles of salicylic acid and acetic anhydride using their molar masses:
Molar mass of salicylic acid (C7H6O3) = 138.12 g/mol
Molar mass of acetic anhydride (C4H6O3) = 102.09 g/mol

Number of moles of salicylic acid = Mass of salicylic acid / Molar mass of salicylic acid
Number of moles of acetic anhydride = Mass of acetic anhydride / Molar mass of acetic anhydride

Step 3: Compare the moles of reactants to determine the limiting reactant:
The limiting reactant is the one that is completely consumed in the reaction, which determines the maximum amount of product that can be formed. To find the limiting reactant, compare the moles of salicylic acid and acetic anhydride. Whichever reactant has the smaller number of moles is the limiting reactant.

Step 4: Calculate the theoretical yield of aspirin:
The theoretical yield is the maximum amount of product that can be obtained based on the limiting reactant. Since the balanced equation for the reaction is not provided, the stoichiometry cannot be determined. Therefore, we cannot calculate the theoretical yield of aspirin without knowing the balanced equation.

So, without the balanced equation and stoichiometry, we cannot determine the grams of aspirin that could have been prepared.