Find the limiting reagent.
2 NH4 (g) + 4 CuO (s) ==> N2(g) + 4 Cu(s) + 4H2O (g)
Please explain, thank you!
To find the limiting reagent in a chemical reaction, you need to compare the stoichiometric ratios of the reactants to determine which one will be completely consumed first and limit the amount of product formed.
In this case, we have the following balanced equation:
2 NH4 (g) + 4 CuO (s) ==> N2(g) + 4 Cu(s) + 4 H2O (g)
To find the limiting reagent, we'll compare the number of moles of each reactant present to the stoichiometric ratios given in the balanced equation.
First, let's convert the grams of each reactant to moles. To do this, we need to know the molar mass of each compound involved. Let's assume the molar masses are:
NH4: 18 g/mol
CuO: 79.5 g/mol
Next, we'll use the given quantities to calculate the number of moles of each reactant:
For NH4:
moles = mass / molar mass = (given mass) / 18 g/mol
For CuO:
moles = mass / molar mass = (given mass) / 79.5 g/mol
Once we have the number of moles of each reactant, we'll compare them to the stoichiometric ratios of the balanced equation. In this case, the stoichiometric ratio is:
2 NH4 : 4 CuO
So, we need twice as many moles of NH4 as CuO to react completely.
Now, compare the moles of each reactant to the stoichiometric ratio. If NH4 has twice as many moles as CuO (or more), NH4 is in excess, and CuO is the limiting reagent. If CuO has twice as many moles as NH4 (or more), CuO is in excess, and NH4 is the limiting reagent.
Once you determine which reactant is the limiting reagent, you can calculate the amount of product formed by using the stoichiometry of the balanced equation.