1. Limiting Reactant
Videodisk 4
Unit 8 Lesson 3 (Honors)

2. Limiting Reactants Limiting Reactant - reactant you run out of first
Reactant in Excess - reactant you have more than enough of
To determine the limiting reactant, find the number of moles of each reactant and then divide by their respective coefficients
Paperclip Demo
Envelopes of paperclips
Give students the formula of the molecule and have them build as many as possible of that molecule. Discuss the limiting reactant and the reactant in excess.

3. Example Problem
What is the limiting reactant if you have 5.0g H2 and 10.0g O2?
2H2 + O2 → 2H2O
Meaning for every 2 moles of H2 you need 1 mole of O2
5.0g H2 (1 mol H2
2.016g H2
10.0 g O2(1mol O2
32.00g O2
= mol of H2
= mol of O2

4. Continued: divide each by their coefficients
O2 has the smaller value, so oxygen must be the limiting reactant

5. Example Problem 2Na + Cl2  2NaCl
Identify the limiting reactant and the mass of sodium chloride produced when 1.7 g of sodium reacts with 2.6 L of chlorine gas at STP.
2Na + Cl2  2NaCl
To identify the limiting reactant:

6. Na is limiting because less NaCl could be made from 1. 7 g of Na (0
Na is limiting because less NaCl could be made from 1.7 g of Na (0.037) than 2.6 L Cl2 (0.12)
To determine NaCl produced: go back to mol Na and complete stoichiometry
= 4.3 g NaCl

7. Barium is limiting reactant
Sample Problem
What mass of barium nitride (Ba3N2) is produced from the reaction between 22.6 g barium and 4.2 g nitrogen gas? What is the limiting reactant?
3Ba + N2  Ba3N2
Barium is limiting reactant
24.1 g Ba3N2