Stoichiometric Calculations

Stoichiometry – refers to the quantitative relationships between the

substances that are used up and produced in chemical reactions.

Avogadro’s Number and the Mole Concept

Working around with such an enormous number necessitates the use of the
concepts of the unit mole and the Avogadro’s number --- 6.022 x 1023 --- in
expressing particles of substances (atoms, molecules, formula units, and
ions).

Mole – is the amount of a substance that kkcontains as many particles as

there are atoms in 12 grams of carbon -12.

1 mole = 6.022 x1023 atoms, formula units, molecules, or ions.

In the Laboratory, quantifying reactants and products uses the mole concept
1 mole Fe = 55.85 grams Fe.
 Given: balanced equation, amount of reactant

Mass of reactant Mass of product

Use molar mass of

Use molar mass of
reactant
product
Use molar ratio from
balanced equation
Mole of reactant Mole of Product

Required:
amount of
product

In a 5.00 g sample of Fe2 O3 compute the following:

 a. Moles of Fe2 O3
b. Particles of Fe2 O3
c. Moles of Fe3 +¿¿ ions
d. Ions Fe3 +¿¿
Solution:
a. Conversion from grams to moles of a substance
b. Conversion from grams of a substance to its number of particles
c. Conversion from mole of a compound to mole of its component
particles
d. Conversion from grams to moles to particles
Limiting and Excess Reactants
The substance that is completely used up first in a reaction is called the
limiting reactant. As the term suggests, the limiting reactant limits the
amount of the other reactant consumed and the amount of product formed
in a chemical reaction. The substance that is not used up completely in a
reaction is called the excess reactant.

Reaction Yield
Theoretical Yield – is the maximum amount of product that can be
produced from a given amount of reactant.
Experimental value or actual yield – the measured amount of a product
obtained from a reaction.

Percentage yield = experimental yield (in grams) x 100

Theoretical yield (in grams)

The general steps in solving problems involving percentage yield is

shown in the flowchart.

Mass of reactants
 STEP 1: Convert using molar
mass of the reactants

Amount of reactants
in mole
STEP 2: Converting using the
mole ratio of the limiting
reactant to product
Theoretical amount of
product in mole
STEP 3: Convert using the
molar mass of the product.

Experimental mass STEP 4: Compare and Theoretical mass of

of the product compute the product

Percentage yield

Steel wool, which is made of pure iron metal, burns with oxygen gas to
produce ferric oxide ( Fe2 O3).
4Fe(s) + 3 O2(g) 2 Fe2 O3(s)

If there are 1.25 moles of Fe and 1.25 moles of O2,

a. How many moles of Fe2 O3 will be produced? What is its mass?
b. If the actual laboratory yield is 95.8 g Fe2 O3, what is the reaction’s
percent yield?

Energy in Chemical Reactions

Whether a reaction releases or absorbs energy depends on
bond energy, which is the energy associated with bond
breaking or formation. Some energy must be absorbed by the
reactants in any chemical reaction.

Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions

An exothermic reaction releases more energy than it absorbs.
The products have lower bond energy than the reactants. The
excess energy --- the difference in bond energy between the
reactants and the products --- is often given off as heat or light.

Cellular respiration, which is the process that uses glucose and

oxygen to provide usable energy for cells, is also exothermic. It
also releases heat that keeps the body warm.
endothermic reaction absorbs more energy than it releases.
Products have higher bond energy than reactants. Energy must
be absorbed to make up for this energy difference.

The energy absorbed in an endothermic reaction may be placed

at the reactant side.
Reactants + energy products
On the other hand, energy released in an exothermic reaction
may be placed at the product side.
Reactants products + energy

Sources of Energy

Fossil Fuels
Are formed mainly from plants subjected to high temperature and pressure
for million of years.

Biomass
Is any material derived from living things such as plant leaves and animal
manure. This resource can be used to produce biofuels like ethanol and
biodiesel, and biogas like biomethane.

Solar Energy
Solar Radiation is a general term for the electromagnetic radiation emitted
by the sun. Solar access is the availability of unobstructed, direct sunlight,
which is particularly important in utilizing solar energy for space heating,
water heating, electricity generation, and/or day lightning.

Wind Energy
Mechanical power, as well as electricity, can also be generated using the
energy derived from wind. Wind currents result from the uneven heating of
the atmosphere by the sun, the irregularities of the Earth’s surface, and the
rotation of the planet.

Geothermal Energy and Hydropower

Harnessing geothermal energy by taking heat from the Earth supplies the
majority of the electricity requirement worldwide. Geothermal energy is an
underused resource that is known to emit little greenhouse gases, if none at
all.

Chemical Energy
Another source of energy are batteries, which store chemical energy that
can be converted to electrical energy once a device is attached to them.
Inside a battery is an electrolyte.