LIMITING REACTANT AND EXCESS

REACTANTS
Reactants, Products and Leftovers
MELCS

● Explain the concept of limiting reagent in a chemical reaction; identify the excess
reagent(s) (STEM_GC11MRIg-h-40)
Objectives
At the end of this lesson, the learner is expected to:

● Explain the concept of limiting reagent in a chemical reaction; identify the excess
reagent(s)
● Perform minor experiment about the limiting and excess reagent.
● Apply knowledge of limiting and excess reagents to real-world situations and
problems.
 PRE – ACTIVITY:
LIMITING REAGENTS
https://tse2.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.r4JMax19SYl7xONLfMcCjgHaDt&pi
d=Api&P=0&h=180
Which of the items limits the number of
burgers that can be made?
Which of the items limits the number of
burgers that can be made?
LIMITING
REAGENTS
LIMITING REAGENTS
TERMINOLOGIES:
● The reactant used up first in a reaction is called the limiting reagent,
because the maximum amount of product formed depends on how much
of this reactant was originally present. When this reactant is used up, no
more product can be formed. (Chang, 2010)
● Excess reagents are the reactants present in quantities greater than
necessary to react with the quantity of the limiting reagent. The concept of
the limiting reagent
● (Chang, 2010)
LIMITING REACTANT

● The reactant that is completely

used up in a chemical reaction is
called limiting reactant. As its
name implies, it limits the extent
of the reaction, and thereby
determines the amount of
product that will be formed.
EXCESS REACTANT

● On the other hand, the reactant

that still remains after the
reaction stops is called the
excess reactant. As its name
implies, it is in excess in the
reaction.
LIMITING
REAGENTS
SAMPLE PROBLEM
Consider the reaction: 3H2(g) + N2(g) 2NH3(g)
If 6.60 moles H2 are made to react with 4.42 moles N2, what is the limiting
reagent? How many moles NH3 will be produced? What reagent is in excess
and by how much? Determine which reagent will produce the smallest amount
of product:
SAMPLE PROBLEM
Consider the reaction: 3H2(g) + N2(g) 2NH3(g)
If 6.60 moles H2 are made to react with 4.42 moles N2, what is the limiting
reagent? How many moles NH3 will be produced? What reagent is in excess
and by how much? Determine which reagent will produce the smallest amount
of product:

Therefore, the limiting reagent is H2.

Consider the reaction: 3H2(g) + N2(g) 2NH3(g)
● The amount of limiting reagent present at the start of the reaction
determines the theoretical yield. To determine the amount of NH3
produced, use the limiting reagent.

The excess reagent is N2. If you have 6.60 moles H2 then you will need

But you have 4.42 moles N2.

Therefore, the excess amount of N2 is 4.42 moles – 2.20 moles = 2.22
moles N2.
To sum it
up…
Limiting reagent…
Excess reagent…
Possible applications or
Integrations
Limiting and Excess Reagents
 Possible integration of limiting and excess reagents.
● Cooking and Food Science: Vital for recipe development and achieving desired culinary results.
● Environmental Science: Crucial for pollution control and optimizing processes like wastewater
treatment.
● Pharmaceuticals: Ensures consistent drug quality and efficacy.
● Engineering and Manufacturing: Essential for quality control and resource efficiency in various
industries.
● Renewable Energy: Used in energy conversion processes like fuel cells for efficiency and
sustainability.
● Agriculture: Applies to nutrient management in crop production.
● Economics: Relevant for resource allocation and efficiency in economic systems.
● Healthcare: Used in diagnostic tests for accuracy.
● Education: Enhances critical thinking and problem-solving skills in teaching.
● Environmental Policy: Informs regulations and guidelines for pollution control.
● Space Exploration: Vital for efficient resource utilization in space missions.
● Art Conservation: Helps choose safe materials and techniques for restoring artworks.
 Formative
Assessment
Solve for the unknown.
Solve for the unknown.

● If 25.5 g H2 are made to react with 64.2 g N2, what is the limiting reagent?
What is the theoretical yield in moles of NH3 that will be produced? How
do you determine the limiting reagent?
If 25.5 g H2 are made to react with 64.2 g N 2, what is the limiting reagent? What is the
theoretical yield in moles of NH3 that will be produced? How do you determine the limiting
reagent?

● i. Get the number of moles of each reactant.

● ii. Calculate the number of moles of product using each reagent.
● iii. The one that yields the smallest number of moles of product is the
limiting reagent.
If 25.5 g H2 are made to react with 64.2 g N 2, what is the limiting reagent? What is the
theoretical yield in moles of NH3 that will be produced? How do you determine the limiting
reagent?

From 12.6 moles of H2, how many moles of NH3 do we expect to get?
Sample Problem No. 2: If 25.5 g H 2 are made to react with 64.2 g N 2, what is the limiting
reagent? What is the theoretical yield in moles of NH3 that will be produced? How do you
determine the limiting reagent?

From 2.29 moles of N2, how many moles of NH3 do we expect to get?

The limiting reagent is N2.

THANK YOU!