LIMITING AND EXCESS

REACTANTS
for Physical Science/ Grade 11
Quarter 3 / Week 6

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 FOREWORD

This Self Learning Kit (SLK) is designed to help students

understand how a reactant may “limit a chemical reaction, how
one reactant may determine how much of the other substance is
used in the reaction and how much product can be formed.

SLK is mainly divided into three (3) parts:

A. WHAT HAPPENED

“Unlocking of Words” is an activity where students will identify

some of the terminologies used and to give a background
knowledge of the topic.“Let’s Read” is an analogy presentation of
the limiting and excess reactants and “Yummy Cheese Sandwich”,
another fun ratio activity that help students identify ratio with the
materials found in the kitchen.

B. WHAT I NEED TO KNOW

“Let’s Read”, contains discussion and sample problems about

limiting and excess reactants. It explains how to solve problem
solving activity involving chemical reactions that identify which
reactant is a limiting or excess reactant.

C. WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

“ Find ME an Answer” is an exercise that involves problem

solving in limiting and excess reactants and “Do I have a Choice?”
a multiple-choice question that provides a number of options from
which students select the best answer. This is used to assess students’
ability to recall information.

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OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, the learners shall be able to:
K: distinguish limiting reactant from excess reactants in a chemical
reaction;
S: show the use of the limiting reactant in stoichiometric calculations; and
A. calculate limiting and excess reaction in a chemical reaction.

LEARNING COMPETENCY
Determine the limiting reactant in a reaction and calculate the
amount of product formed (S11/12 PS-IIIh-27)

I. WHAT HAPPENED

In a perfect world, we would have exactly as much of each

reactant that you need to convert everything to product. However, in real
life it is much more likely that we cannot be represented by a ratio of well-
defined natural amounts of reactants. How do we predict how much
product is going to form? This activity will walk you through the concepts
of limiting reactant and excess reactant.
In a dance contest among boy-girl pairs, if there are six girls and only
three boys, then only six boy-girl pairs can compete. Three girls will be left
without a partner. The number of boys thus limits the number of girls that
can join the contest.

Figure 1: An analogy to the concept of limiting and excess reactants

Source:
https://stock.adobe.com/images/id/318959379?as_campaign=Freepik&as_content=api&as_audience=idp
&tduid=2061a66f6101228970341d101d00dcad&as_channel=affiliate&as_campclass=redirect&as_source=ar
vato

Fill in the blanks with the correct answers. Hence, the number of 1. _________ is
analogous to the limiting reactant whereas the number of 2. ________ is the
excess reactant.
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PRE-ACTIVITIES /PRE-TEST:

Activity: Yummy Cheese Sandwich!

Materials needed:

ham sliced bread sliced tomato

cheese sauce (ketchup or mayonnaise)

Procedure:
1. Gather the materials needed.
2. Get a piece of sliced bread and add a piece of ham, 4
pieces of sliced tomato, 2 pieces of sliced cheese.
3. Add sauce by spreading it all over.
4. Cover it with another piece of sliced bread and is ready to
eat.

Guide Questions:
1. Based on the activity what is the ratio of the number of
sandwiches made with that of the:
a. ham?
b. sliced bread?
c. sliced tomato?
d. cheese?
2. If you have 4 slices of bread, how many sandwiches will be made
assuming all the ingredients needed?

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II. WHAT I NEED TO KNOW

Limiting reactant or limiting reagent is a reactant in a chemical

reaction that determines the amount of product that is formed. The reason
there is a limiting reactant is that elements and compounds react according
to the mole ratio between them in a balanced chemical equation. So, for
example, if the mole ratio in the balanced equation states it takes 1 mole of
each reactant to produce a product (1:1 ratio) and one of the reactants is
present in a higher amount than the other, the reactant present in the lower
amount would be limiting reactant.
When chemicals are mixed to undergo a reaction, they are often mixed
in stoichiometric quantities, that is, in exactly the correct amounts so that all
reactants “run out” (are used up) at the same time. To clarify this concept, let’s
consider the production of hydrogen for use in the manufacture of ammonia by
the Haber process. The Haber process, also called the Haber–Bosch process, is
an artificial nitrogen fixation process and is the main industrial procedure for the
production of ammonia today.
Ammonia, a very important fertilizer itself and a starting material for other
fertilizers, is made by combining nitrogen (from the air) with hydrogen according
to the equation:
N2(g) + 3H2 (g)→ 2NH3(g)

From the balanced equation we know that each N2 molecule requires 3

H2 molecules for the reaction to occur:

Thus, the required H2/ N2 ratio is 3 H2 / 1N2... There is not enough hydrogen
to react with all the nitrogen. That is, the hydrogen will run out first, leaving some
unreacted N2 molecules.

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 Consider the reaction between aluminum and chlorine.
2Al(s) + 3Cl2 (g) → 2AlCl3 (g)
This shows that 2 moles Al react with 3 moles Cl2. The mole ratio Al to Cl2 is
2:3. If the ratio of the available substances is 3 of Al: 3 moles Cl 2, then there is an
excess of 1 mole Al:
Mole reactants available: 3 mol Al, 3 mole Cl2.
Mole reactants consumed: 2 mol Al, 3 mol Cl2.
Mole reactants not reacted: 1 mol Al, 0 mol Cl2.

When the reaction is allowed to proceed, only 2 moles Al will be

consumed and 1 mole will remain, while all of the Cl2 will be used. The limiting
reactant in this reaction is Cl2, while Al is the reactant in excess. In order to
determine which reactant is limiting, the amount of product from each of the
give amount of reactant is calculated. The reactant that gives the smaller yield
is the limiting reactant.

Sample Problem:
1. In an experiment, 5.00g aluminum is heated with 25.0g sulfur to form
aluminum sulfide. The equation for the reaction is:

Al (s) +S (s) → Al2S3 (s) Unbalance Chemical

equation
Reactants Product

A. How many grams of aluminum sulfide will be formed?

B. How many grams of excess reactant will remain?
Given: mass Al = 5.00g
mass S = 25.0g
Find: a. mass Al2S3
b. mass excess reactant
Solution:
A. Step 1: Write and balance the equation for the reaction
2Al (s) + 3 S (s) → Al2S3 (s)
Reactants Product

To balance the chemical equation, write only a number (coefficient) before any
substance.

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Step 2: Identify the Molar Mass of the following:
Aluminum (A) - 27 g/mol Atomic Number
Sulfur (S) - 32 g/mol
To get the molar mass of an element identify the atomic mass from the Modern
Periodic Table of Elements.

Step 3: Identify the limiting reactant by calculating the amount of product

formed from each of the given amounts of reactants.

Using 5.00g Al (molar mass is 27 g/mol),

5.00 g
mole Al = = 0 . 185 mole Al
27.0 g/mol Al

From the balanced equation, 2 moles Al forms 1 mole Al2S3, therefore,

1 mol Al2S3
mole Al2S3= 0.185 mol Al x 0.093 mol Al2S3
2 mol Al

Using 25.0g S (molar mass, 32.00 g/ mol)

25.Og
mole S = 0.780 mol S
32.0 g/mol

From the balance equation, 3 moles S forms 1 mole Al2S3 therefore,

1 mol Al2S3
mole Al2S3 = 0.78 mol S x 0.260 mol Al2S3
3 mol S
5.0g Al produces less Al2S3 than 25.0 g S. Aluminum, therefore is the
limiting reactant.

Step 4: Using the value for the number of moles of the limiting reactant,
calculate the mass of Al2S3 formed if its molar mass is 150.0 g/mol.
mass Al2S3 = 0.095 mol x 150.0 g/mol = 13.9 g
B. Solve for the amount of excess reactant by determining the actual amount of
S that reacted with the limiting reactant, Al.

From the balanced equation: 2 moles Al react with 3 moles S; therefore,

3 mol S
mole S = 0.185 mol Al x 0.278 mol S
2 mol Al
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Since the available S is 0.780 mol, then the amount of S that has not reacted is:
mole S not reacted = 0.780 mol - 0.278 mol = 0.502 mol

Calculating the mass of excess S,

32.0 g
mass S = 0.502 mol x = 16.1 g
1 mol

2. Calculate the mass of carbon dioxide, (CO2) produced from 0.5 mole of
sucrose, C6H12O6 assuming that oxygen, O2 is in excess.
Balanced Chemical
C6H12O6 + 6 O2 → 6 CO2 + 6 H2O Equation

Given:
Mole C6H12O6 = 0.5

Find:
A. Mass of carbon dioxide

SOLUTION: Since mole is already given, we can directly convert mole

C6H12O6 to moles CO2 using the stoichiometric ration of C6H12O6 and
CO2 (1:6):

Moles of CO2
= 0.5 mol C6H12O6 x 6 mol CO2 = 3 mol CO2
1 mol C6H12O6

Convert mol CO2 to mass CO2 using its molar mass, MM = 44.01 g/mol:
Mass of CO2:
= 3 mol CO2 x 44.01 g CO2 = 132.03 g CO2
1 mol CO2
Therefore, 132.03 g CO are produced from 0.5 moles C6H12O6.

3. Consider respiration, one of the most common chemical reactions on earth.

C6H12O6 + 6 O2 → 6 CO2 + 6 H2O (energy)
What mass of carbon dioxide forms in the reaction of 25 grams of glucose with
40 grams of oxygen?

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SOLUTION:
When approaching this problem, observe that every 1 mole
of glucose (C6H12O6) requires 6 moles of oxygen to obtain 6 moles of carbon
dioxide and 6 moles of water.

Step 1: Determine the balanced chemical equation for the chemical reaction.
The balanced chemical equation is already given.
C6H12O6 + 6 O2 → 6 CO2 + 6 H2O (energy)
Reactant
Product

Step 2: Convert all given information into moles (most likely, through the use of
molar mass as a conversion factor).
1mol
5g x = 0.14 mol C6H12O6
180.00 g Mole of the
Reactants
1 mol
40 g x = 1.25 mol O2
32.00 g

Step 3: Calculate the mole ratio from the given information. Compare the
calculated ratio to the actual ratio.
a. If all of the 1.25 moles of oxygen were to be used up, there would
be 1.25×1/6 or 0.208 moles of glucose needed. There are only 0.14 moles
of glucose available which makes it the limiting reactant.

1 mol C6H12O6
1.25 mol O2 x = 0.208 mol C6H12O6
6 mol O2

b. If all of the 0.14 moles of glucose were used up, there would need to be
0.1388 x 6 or 0.8328 moles of oxygen needed. Because there is an excess
of oxygen, the glucose amount is used to calculate the amount of the
products in the reaction.

6 mol O2
0.14 mol C6H12O6 x = 0.83 mol O2
1 mol C6H12O6

If more than 6 moles of O2 are available per mole of C6H12O6, the oxygen
is in excess and glucose is the limiting reactant. If less than 6 moles of oxygen are

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available per mole of glucose, oxygen is the limiting reactant. The ratio is 6 mole
oxygen per 1 mole glucose, or 1 mole oxygen per 1/6 mole glucose. This means:
6 mol O2 / 1 mol C6H12O6.

Therefore, the mole ratio is: (0.83 mol O2)/ (0.21 mol C6H12O6)

This gives a 4.004 ratio of O2 to C6H12O6.

Step 4: Use the amount of limiting reactant to calculate the amount of CO2 or
H2O produced.

For carbon dioxide produced:

1
0.14 mole glucose x = 0.83 moles carbon dioxide.
6

Step 5: If necessary, calculate how much is left in excess.

1.25 mol - 0.84 mol = 0.4172 moles of oxygen left over

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 Performance Task

Exercises: Find ME an Answer

Problem Solving: Solve the following questions on another sheet of paper.

1. A reaction that occurs when 23 grams of iron (II) chloride reacts with sodium
phosphate forming iron (II) phosphate and sodium chloride. What is the limiting
reagent? How much sodium chloride can be formed?

3 FeCl2 + 2 Na3PO4 → Fe3 (PO4)2 + 6 NaCl

2. Nitrogen gas can be prepared by passing gaseous ammonia over solid

copper (II) oxide at high temperature. The other products of the reaction are
solid copper and water vapor. If a sample containing 18.1 g of NH 3 is reacted
with 90.4 g of CuO, which is the limiting reactant?

2 NH3(g) + 3 CuO (s) → N2 (g + 3 Cu(s) + 3 H2O (g)

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III. WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

EVALUATION/POST -TEST

I. Multiple Choice: Write the letter that corresponds to the correct answer. Write
your answers in your notebook.

1-6. For the given reaction

C5H12 + 8 O2 → 5 CO2 + 6 H2O

If the reactants C5H12 and O2 are having 2 moles and 8 moles of initial feed
respectively,

1. Which is the excess reactant in the reaction?

A. C5H12 B. O2 C. CO2 D. H2O
2. Which is the limiting reactant in the reaction?
A. C5H12 B. O2 C. CO2 D. H2O
3. How many moles of C5H12 are there when the reaction is completed?
A. 0 B. 1 C. 2 D. 3
4. How many moles of O2 are there when the reaction is completed?
A. 0 B. 2 C. 4 D. 6
5. How many moles of CO2 are produced in the reaction?
A. 5 B. 6 C. 7 D. 8
6. How many moles of H2O are produced in the reaction?
A. 5 B. 6 C. 7 D. 8

For numbers 7-8:

You need 2 pieces of bread, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and 2 tablespoons
of jelly to make a sandwich. If you have 100 pieces of bread, 4 tablespoon of
peanut butter and 20 tablespoons of jelly,

7. What is the limiting reactant?

A. Bread B. Peanut butter C. Jelly D. Sandwich
8. What is the excess reactant?
A. Bread B. Peanut butter C. Jelly D. Sandwich

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 References

“Chemical reaction”. Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_reaction. Last edited
on 19 July 2020. (accessed date August 5, 2020).

“Limiting reagent“ . Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limiting_reagent#:~:text=The%20limiti
ng%20reagent%20(or%20li
miting,reaction%20cannot%20continue%20without%20it. Last
edited on 12 June 2020. (accessed date August 4, 2020).

“Molar mass”. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molar_mass. Last

edited on 12 August 2020. (accessed date August 4, 2020).

Padolina, Ma. Christina and Alumaga, Maria Jessica. Conceptual and

Functional Chemistry Modular Approach. Manila City: Vibal
Publishing House Inc, 2010.

Petrucci, Ralph H., William S. Harwood, Geoffery F. Herring, and Jeffry D.

Madura. General Chemistry. 9th ed. New Jersey: Pearsin Prentice
Hall, 2007. Staley, Dennis. Prentice Hall Chemistry. Boston: Pearson
Prentice Hall, 2007.

Pili, Adora. Science in Today’s World Chemistry Textbook. Mandaluyong

City: SIBS Publishing House, Inc., 2004

Shah, Sarick. “Limiting Reagents”. LibreTexts.

https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Inorganic_Chemistry/Mod
ules_and_Websites_(Inorganic_Chemistry)/Chemical_Reactions/Li
miting_Reagents. Last updated Nov 10, 2019. (accessed date
August 5, 2020).

Shah, Sarick. “Limiting Reagents”. LibreTexs.

https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Inorganic_Chemistry/Modules_a
nd_Websites_(Inorganic_Chemistry)/Chemical_Reactions/Limiting_Reag
ents?fbclid=IwAR3I4vu36 qgsbDRD5md-A0G-
BtDTu7hgzNkPY3NkYuZGQp9aZ4jnht-fdyY . Last updated Nov 10, 2019.
(accessed date August 8, 2020).
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Shah. Sarick. “Limiting Reagents”. LibreTexts.
https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Inorganic_Chemistry/Modules_
and_Websites_(Inorganic_Chemistry)/Chemical_Reactions/Limiting_Re
agents#:~:text=There%20are%20two%20ways%20to,the%20reaction%20
(approach%201).&text=Compare%20the%20calculated%20ratio%20to,t
he%20amount%20of%20product%20produced.
https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-limiting-reactant-605310 Last
updated Nov 10, 2019. (accessed date August 9, 2020).

“Stoichiometry”. Microsoft PowerPoint.

https://www.unf.edu/~michael.lufaso/chem2045/Chapter3.pdf
(accessed date August 5, 2020).

“Stoichiometry”. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoichiometry.

last edited on 17 July 2020. (accessed date August 5, 2020).

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 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF NEGROS ORIENTAL
SENEN PRISCILLO P. PAULIN, CESO V
Schools Division Superintendent

JOELYZA M. ARCILLA EdD

OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

MARCELO K. PALISPIS EdD JD

OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

NILITA L. RAGAY EdD

OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendent / CID Chief

ROSELA R. ABIERA
Education Program Supervisor – (LRMS)

ARNOLD R. JUNGCO
PSDS – Division Science Coordinator

MARICEL S. RASID
Librarian II (LRMDS)

ELMAR L. CABRERA
PDO II (LRMDS)

JESSA MAE P. DICEN

Writer

IVAN RAY A. GIDOR

Lay-out Artist
_________________________________
ALPHA QA TEAM
LIEZEL A. AGOR
EUFRATES G. ANSOK
JOAN Y. BUBULI
MA. OFELIA BUSCATO
LIELIN A. DE LA ZERNA
DEXTER D. PAIRA

BETA QA TEAM
LIEZEL A. AGOR - BESAS
JOAN Y. BUBULI - VALENCIA
LIELIN A. DE LA ZERNA
PETER PAUL A. PATRON
THOMAS JOGIE U. TOLEDO

DISCLAIMER

The information, activities and assessments used in this material are designed to provide
accessible learning modality to the teachers and learners of the Division of Negros Oriental. The contents
of this module are carefully researched, chosen, and evaluated to comply with the set learning
competencies. The writers and evaluator were clearly instructed to give credits to information and
illustrations used to substantiate this material. All content is subject to copyright and may not be
reproduced in any form without expressed written consent from the division.
SYNOPSIS
This Self-Learning Kit (SLK)
discusses on limiting and excess
reactant. Limiting reactant is a
reactant that is completely
consumed during the course of
,the reaction, and they dictate the
amount of product form in a
chemical reaction. On the other
hand, the excess reactant is the
reactant that is not completely
consumed during the course of
the reaction. Knowing it has an
industrial scale implication, say for
example production of good that
depends upon the amount of the
raw materials. Through it, the
number of products form and the
amount of raw materials needed
will be predicted.
ANSWER KEY
What Happened:
1. Boys 2. Girls
Activity: Yummy Cheese Sandwich
1. 1:1 (sandwich-ham)
2.1:2 (sandwich-sliced bread)
3. 1:4 (sandwich-tomato sliced)
4. 1:2 (sandwich-cheese)
5. 2 sandwiches
Exercises: Problem Solving:
Evaluation/ Post-test:
1. A - C5H12 is the excess reactant as 1 mole of
C5H12 = 8 moles of CO2.
2. B- O2 is the limiting reactant as 1 mole of C5H12 = 8
moles of CO2.
3. B-Moles left = Initial mole – extent of the reaction
4. A- Moles left = Initial mole – extent of the reaction
5. A-Moles produced = extent of the reaction
6. B- Moles produced = extent of the reaction
7. B
8. C

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JESSA MAE P. DICEN, graduated from Saint Paul

University-Dumaguete with the degree of
Bachelor of Secondary Education major in
General Science and as cum laude last 2007.
Currently, she is teaching at Bolocboloc High
School, Sibulan, Negros Oriental. She graduated
Master of Arts in Education Major in General
Science at Foundation University Dumaguete last
2016.

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