A 2.5 g of sample megnesium carbide is added to 8.8 ml of water inside calorimeter of 700 ml of water
how do we find limiting reactant
To find the limiting reactant in a chemical reaction, you need to compare the amounts of reactants used with their respective stoichiometric ratios. Here are the steps to determine the limiting reactant in your given scenario:
1. Write the balanced chemical equation for the reaction. Let's assume the reaction is as follows:
Mg3C2 + 6 H2O → 3 Mg(OH)2 + 2 CH4
2. Calculate the number of moles of each reactant used:
- Convert the mass of magnesium carbide (Mg3C2) to moles by dividing it by its molar mass (e.g. 2.5 g ÷ (24.31 g/mol + 12.01 g/mol)) = X moles of Mg3C2.
- Convert the volume of water (H2O) to moles by dividing it by the molar volume of water (which is approximately 18 mL/mol at standard temperature and pressure) = Y moles of H2O.
3. Compare the stoichiometric ratio of the reactants. According to the balanced chemical equation, the ratio between Mg3C2 and H2O is 1:6.
4. Divide the number of moles of each reactant by their respective stoichiometric coefficients. This will give you the ratio of actual reactant to stoichiometric reactant:
- For Mg3C2, divide X moles by 1.
- For H2O, divide Y moles by 6.
5. The reactant with the smaller ratio is the limiting reactant. It is the one that will be fully consumed, limiting the amount of product formed. Therefore, the reactant with the lower ratio is the limiting reactant.
By following these steps, you can determine which reactant is the limiting reactant in the given reaction.