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Limiting reagent

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In this method the chemical equation is used to calculate the amount of one product which can be formed from each reactant in the amount present. The limiting reactant is the one which can form the smallest amount of the product considered. This method can be extended to any number of reactants more
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of the other reactant (B) necessary to react with A. If the amount of B actually present exceeds the amount required, then B is in excess and A is the limiting reagent. If the amount of B present is less than required, then B is the limiting reagent.
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This suggests a shortcut which works for any number of reagents. Just calculate this formula for each reagent, and the reagent that has the lowest value of this formula is the limiting reagent. We can apply this shortcut in the above example.
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of product formed is limited by this reagent, since the reaction cannot continue without it. If one or more other reagents are present in excess of the quantities required to react with the limiting reagent, they are described as
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Since the reactant amounts are given in grams, they must be first converted into moles for comparison with the chemical equation, in order to determine how many moles of Fe can be produced from either reactant.
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Equal masses of iron (Fe) and sulfur (S) react to form iron sulfide (FeS), but because of its higher atomic weight, iron is the limiting reagent and once all the iron is consumed some sulfur remains unreacted
776: 600: 1361: 1529: 1157: 1664: 417: 1350:{\displaystyle {\begin{aligned}{\ce {mol~Fe2O3}}&={\frac {\ce {grams~Fe2O3}}{\ce {g/mol~Fe2O3}}}\\&={\frac {20.0~{\ce {g}}}{159.7~{\ce {g/mol}}}}=0.125~{\ce {mol}}\end{aligned}}} 1653:{\displaystyle {\begin{aligned}{\ce {mol~Al}}&={\frac {\ce {grams~Al}}{\ce {g/mol~Al}}}\\&={\frac {8.00~{\ce {g}}}{26.98~{\ce {g/mol}}}}=0.297~{\ce {mol}}\end{aligned}}} 1814: 578:
are present, there will be an excess of (18 - 11.25) = 6.75 mol of unreacted oxygen when all the benzene is consumed. Benzene is then the limiting reagent.
177:, which describes the reaction, there are several equivalent ways to identify the limiting reagent and evaluate the excess quantities of other reagents. 173:
of a reaction since the theoretical yield is defined as the amount of product obtained when the limiting reagent reacts completely. Given the balanced
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This method is most useful when there are only two reactants. One reactant (A) is chosen, and the balanced chemical equation is used to determine the
216: 997: 940:{\displaystyle {\frac {\ce {mol\,O2}}{\ce {mol\,C6H6}}}={\frac {18\ {\ce {mol\,O2}}}{1.5\ {\ce {mol\,C6H6}}}}=12\ {\ce {mol\,O2}}} 764:{\displaystyle {\frac {\ce {mol\,O2}}{\ce {mol\,C6H6}}}={\frac {15\ {\ce {mol\,O2}}}{2\ {\ce {mol\,C6H6}}}}=7.5\ {\ce {mol\,O2}}} 89: 1508:{\displaystyle {\ce {mol~Fe}}=0.125\ {\ce {mol~Fe2O3}}\times {\frac {\ce {2~mol~Fe}}{\ce {1~mol~Fe2O3}}}=0.250~{\ce {mol~Fe}}} 1935: 61: 68: 1765:{\displaystyle {\ce {mol~Fe}}=0.297~{\ce {mol~Al}}\times {\frac {\ce {2~mol~Fe}}{\ce {2~mol~Al}}}=0.297~{\ce {mol~Fe}}} 564:{\displaystyle 1.5\ {\ce {mol\,C6H6}}\times {\frac {15\ {\ce {mol\,O2}}}{2\ {\ce {mol\,C6H6}}}}=11.25\ {\ce {mol\,O2}}} 1910: 108: 42: 75: 1885: 46: 57: 1957: 1785:
to produce 0.250 mol Fe. This means that the amount of Fe actually produced is limited by the Fe
1835:{\displaystyle {\frac {\mbox{Moles of Reagent X }}{\mbox{Stoichiometric Coefficient of Reagent X}}}} 1801:
It can be seen from the example above that the amount of product (Fe) formed from each reagent X (Fe
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The amount of oxygen required for other quantities of benzene can be calculated using
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Reactant introduced in deficit, totally consumed, and stopping the chemical reaction
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is the reagent in excess, which confirms that benzene is the limiting reagent.
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Method 2: Comparison of product amounts which can be formed from each reactant
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required by the balanced equation with the mole ratio actually present:
362:{\displaystyle {\ce {2 C6H6(l) + 15 O2(g) -> 12 CO2(g) + 6 H2O(l)}}} 199: 149:
that is totally consumed when the chemical reaction is completed. The
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There is enough Al to produce 0.297 mol Fe, but only enough Fe
1125:{\displaystyle {\ce {Fe2O3(s) + 2 Al(s) -> 2 Fe(l) + Al2O3(s)}}} 146: 169:
The limiting reagent must be identified in order to calculate the
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This conclusion can be verified by comparing the mole ratio of O
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(1997). 193: 1726: 1708: 1446: 1428: 1066: 1045: 922: 878: 851: 805: 786: 746: 702: 675: 629: 610: 546: 502: 475: 431: 330: 299: 268: 224: 181:Method 1: Comparison of reactant amounts 109:Learn how and when to remove this message 120: 1827:Stoichiometric Coefficient of Reagent X 1809:or Al) is proportional to the quantity 1950: 47:adding citations to reliable sources 18: 1928:Chemistry: Principles and Reactions 13: 14: 1974: 1930:(6 ed.). Cengage Learning. 1877:Chemistry: The Molecular Science 23: 206:, represented by the following 34:needs additional citations for 1919: 1894: 1867: 1117: 1111: 1077: 1071: 1060: 1056: 1050: 1035: 1029: 963:easily than the first method. 354: 348: 320: 314: 293: 289: 283: 258: 252: 1: 1860: 407:is present, 11.25 mol O 7: 1901:Zumdahl, Steven S. (2006). 1848: 1796: 10: 1979: 983:) are reacted with 8.00 g 966: 194:Example for two reactants 1822:Moles of Reagent X  574:If in fact 18 mol O 1836: 1766: 1654: 1509: 1351: 1126: 987:(Al) in the following 941: 765: 565: 363: 126: 1837: 1767: 1655: 1510: 1352: 1127: 942: 766: 566: 364: 124: 1815: 1665: 1525: 1362: 1153: 998: 777: 601: 418: 397:cross-multiplication 217: 43:improve this article 1903:Chemical Principles 1481: 1468: 1417: 1404: 1277: 1264: 1235: 1222: 1192: 1179: 1109: 1096: 1027: 1014: 935: 904: 891: 864: 831: 818: 799: 759: 728: 715: 688: 655: 642: 623: 559: 528: 515: 488: 457: 444: 372:This means that 15 343: 312: 281: 250: 237: 1958:Chemical reactions 1832: 1829: 1824: 1762: 1650: 1648: 1505: 1469: 1456: 1405: 1392: 1347: 1345: 1265: 1252: 1223: 1210: 1180: 1167: 1122: 1097: 1084: 1015: 1002: 937: 923: 892: 879: 852: 819: 806: 787: 761: 747: 716: 703: 676: 643: 630: 611: 561: 547: 516: 503: 476: 445: 432: 359: 331: 300: 269: 238: 225: 127: 58:"Limiting reagent" 1937:978-0-495-12671-3 1830: 1828: 1823: 1760: 1757: 1754: 1750: 1740: 1738: 1735: 1732: 1729: 1720: 1717: 1714: 1711: 1697: 1694: 1691: 1687: 1677: 1674: 1671: 1644: 1640: 1630: 1627: 1619: 1615: 1606: 1602: 1582: 1580: 1577: 1574: 1566: 1561: 1558: 1555: 1541: 1538: 1535: 1503: 1500: 1497: 1493: 1483: 1472: 1459: 1455: 1452: 1449: 1440: 1437: 1434: 1431: 1408: 1395: 1391: 1388: 1384: 1374: 1371: 1368: 1341: 1337: 1327: 1324: 1316: 1312: 1303: 1299: 1279: 1268: 1255: 1251: 1248: 1240: 1226: 1213: 1209: 1206: 1183: 1170: 1166: 1163: 1116: 1100: 1087: 1076: 1069: 1055: 1048: 1034: 1018: 1005: 989:thermite reaction 926: 921: 917: 907: 895: 882: 877: 873: 855: 850: 846: 833: 822: 809: 804: 790: 785: 750: 745: 741: 731: 719: 706: 701: 697: 679: 674: 670: 657: 646: 633: 628: 614: 609: 550: 545: 541: 531: 519: 506: 501: 497: 479: 474: 470: 448: 435: 430: 426: 353: 346: 334: 319: 303: 288: 272: 257: 241: 228: 208:chemical equation 175:chemical equation 143:chemical reaction 135:limiting 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277: 270: 261: 255: 249: 246: 239: 236: 233: 226: 171:percentage yield 160:excess reactants 131:limiting reagent 114: 107: 103: 100: 94: 92: 51: 27: 19: 1978: 1977: 1973: 1972: 1971: 1969: 1968: 1967: 1948: 1947: 1946: 1945: 1938: 1924: 1920: 1913: 1899: 1895: 1888: 1872: 1868: 1863: 1855:Limiting factor 1851: 1818: 1816: 1813: 1812: 1808: 1804: 1799: 1792: 1788: 1784: 1780: 1751: 1722: 1704: 1702: 1688: 1668: 1666: 1663: 1662: 1647: 1646: 1641: 1620: 1616: 1609: 1603: 1596: 1594: 1585: 1584: 1567: 1563: 1552: 1550: 1543: 1532: 1528: 1526: 1523: 1522: 1494: 1478: 1473: 1465: 1460: 1442: 1424: 1422: 1414: 1409: 1401: 1396: 1385: 1365: 1363: 1360: 1359: 1344: 1343: 1338: 1317: 1313: 1306: 1300: 1293: 1291: 1282: 1281: 1274: 1269: 1261: 1256: 1241: 1237: 1232: 1227: 1219: 1214: 1203: 1201: 1194: 1189: 1184: 1176: 1171: 1160: 1156: 1154: 1151: 1150: 1147: 1143: 1110: 1106: 1101: 1093: 1088: 1070: 1049: 1028: 1024: 1019: 1011: 1006: 1001: 999: 996: 995: 982: 978: 969: 960: 953: 932: 927: 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970: 961: 949: 580: 573: 394: 371: 197: 184: 168: 163: 159: 155: 138: 134: 130: 128: 105: 96: 86: 79: 72: 65: 53: 41:Please help 36:verification 33: 1952:Categories 1887:0815184506 1861:References 971:20.0 g of 597:required: 200:combustion 69:newspapers 1700:× 1420:× 1061:⟶ 985:aluminium 460:× 294:⟶ 164:abundance 99:June 2015 1849:See also 1797:Shortcut 773:actual: 147:reactant 967:Example 204:benzene 141:) in a 83:scholar 1934:  1909:  1884:  1756:  1749:  1734:  1728:  1716:  1710:  1693:  1686:  1673:  1639:  1614:  1601:  1576:  1557:  1537:  1499:  1492:  1454:  1448:  1436:  1430:  1390:  1383:  1370:  1336:  1311:  1298:  1250:  1208:  1165:  916:  872:  845:  740:  696:  669:  540:  496:  469:  425:  378:oxygen 187:amount 151:amount 85:  78:  71:  64:  56:  1746:0.297 1683:0.297 1636:0.297 1611:26.98 1554:grams 1489:0.250 1380:0.125 1333:0.125 1308:159.7 1205:grams 585:and C 537:11.25 374:moles 145:is a 90:JSTOR 76:books 1932:ISBN 1907:ISBN 1882:ISBN 1598:8.00 1295:20.0 133:(or 129:The 62:news 1753:mol 1731:mol 1713:mol 1690:mol 1670:mol 1643:mol 1626:mol 1573:mol 1534:mol 1496:mol 1451:mol 1433:mol 1387:mol 1367:mol 1340:mol 1323:mol 1247:mol 1162:mol 975:(Fe 920:mol 876:mol 869:1.5 849:mol 803:mol 784:mol 744:mol 737:7.5 700:mol 673:mol 627:mol 608:mol 544:mol 500:mol 473:mol 429:mol 422:1.5 202:of 158:or 137:or 45:by 1954:: 1759:Fe 1737:Al 1719:Fe 1696:Al 1676:Fe 1579:Al 1560:Al 1540:Al 1502:Fe 1458:Fe 1439:Fe 1394:Fe 1373:Fe 1254:Fe 1212:Fe 1169:Fe 1086:Al 1068:Fe 1047:Al 1004:Fe 991:: 913:12 842:18 666:15 466:15 392:) 380:(O 302:CO 297:12 266:15 210:: 166:. 1940:. 1915:. 1890:. 1807:3 1805:O 1803:2 1791:3 1789:O 1787:2 1783:3 1781:O 1779:2 1743:= 1724:2 1706:2 1680:= 1633:= 1622:/ 1618:g 1605:g 1592:= 1569:/ 1565:g 1548:= 1486:= 1475:3 1471:O 1462:2 1444:1 1426:2 1411:3 1407:O 1398:2 1377:= 1330:= 1319:/ 1315:g 1302:g 1289:= 1271:3 1267:O 1258:2 1243:/ 1239:g 1229:3 1225:O 1216:2 1199:= 1186:3 1182:O 1173:2 1146:3 1144:O 1142:2 1118:) 1115:s 1112:( 1103:3 1099:O 1090:2 1082:+ 1078:) 1075:l 1072:( 1064:2 1057:) 1054:s 1051:( 1043:2 1040:+ 1036:) 1033:s 1030:( 1021:3 1017:O 1008:2 981:3 979:O 977:2 952:2 929:2 925:O 910:= 898:6 894:H 885:6 881:C 858:2 854:O 836:= 825:6 821:H 812:6 808:C 793:2 789:O 753:2 749:O 734:= 722:6 718:H 709:6 705:C 693:2 682:2 678:O 660:= 649:6 645:H 636:6 632:C 617:2 613:O 591:6 589:H 587:6 583:2 576:2 553:2 549:O 534:= 522:6 518:H 509:6 505:C 493:2 482:2 478:O 451:6 447:H 438:6 434:C 409:2 405:6 403:H 401:6 390:6 388:H 386:6 382:2 355:) 352:l 349:( 345:O 337:2 333:H 328:6 325:+ 321:) 318:g 315:( 306:2 290:) 287:g 284:( 275:2 271:O 263:+ 259:) 256:l 253:( 244:6 240:H 231:6 227:C 222:2 112:) 106:( 101:) 97:( 87:· 80:· 73:· 66:· 39:.

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"Limiting reagent"
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chemical reaction
reactant
amount
percentage yield
chemical equation
amount
combustion
benzene
chemical equation
moles
oxygen
cross-multiplication
iron (III) oxide
aluminium
thermite reaction
Limiting factor
Chemistry: The Molecular Science
ISBN

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