Limiting Reagents

Limiting Reagent -- the reactant used up

first in the chemical reaction.
Excess Reagent(s) -- the reactant(s) present
in quantities greater than necessary to react
with the quantity of the limiting reagent.

Limiting Reagent
The concept of limiting reagent is analogous to
the relationship between men and women in a
dance at a club. If there are 14 men and only 9
women, then only 9 female/male pairs can
compete. Five men will be left without partners.
The number of women, thus limits the number of
men that can dance in the contest, and there is an
excess of men.

Example # 1
Consider the formation of nitrogen dioxide
(NO2) from nitric oxide (NO) and oxygen (O2)
2 NO(g) + O2(g) -----> 2 NO2(g)
Suppose initially we have 8 moles of NO and 7
moles of O2.
One way to determine the limiting reagent is to
calculate the number of moles of NO2 obtained
based on the initial quantities of NO and O2.
Remember the limiting reagent will yield the
smaller amount of the product.

Calculate the number of moles of

product obtained from each
reactant. The one that yields the
smallest amount of product is the
limiting reagent.

2 NO(g) + O2(g) -----> 2 NO2(g)

Starting with 8 moles of NO, we find the number
of moles of NO2 produced is
8 mol NO x 2 mol NO2 = 8 mole NO2
2 mol NO
Now, starting with 7 moles of O2, the number of
moles of NO2 produced is
7 mol O2 x 2 mol NO2 = 14 mole NO2
1 mol O2

Because NO yields the smaller

amount of NO2, it must be the
limiting reagent.
Therefore, O2 is the excess
reagent.

Example # 2
The depletion of ozone (O3) in the
stratosphere has been a matter of great
concern among scientists in recent years.
It is believed that ozone can react with
nitric oxide (NO) that is discharged from
the high-altitude jet plane, the SST. The
reaction is
O3 + NO -----> O2 + NO2

Example # 2 - continued
If 0.710 g of O3 reacts with 0.670 g of
NO,
a) how many grams of NO2 will be
produced?
b) Which compound is the limiting
reagent?
c) Calculate the number of grams of the
excess reagent remaining at the end of
the reaction?

Example # 2 - continued
First we need to make sure the equation is
balanced:

O3 + NO -----> O2 + NO2
This equation as it is written is balanced.

Example # 2 - continued
a)

0.710 g O3 1 mole O3 1 mol NO2 46.01 g NO2

48.00 g O3 1 mol O3

1 mole NO2

= 0.680 g NO2

0.670 g NO 1 mole NO 1 mol NO2 46.01 g NO2

30.01 g NO 1 mol NO 1 mol NO2

= 1.027 g NO2

Example # 2 - continued
b) Because O3 yields the smallest amount of NO2, it is the
limiting reagent. Then, NO must be the excess reagent.

c) 1O3 + 1NO -----> 1O2 +1NO2

Because there is a 1 to 1 mole ratio between NO and
NO2, then the amount of excess reagent left after the
reaction is complete, assuming all of the O3 reacted, is:

0.710 g O3 1 mol O3

1 mol NO 30.01 g NO

48.00 g O3 1 mol O3 1 mol NO

= 0.444 g NO
Therefore, 0.670 g NO 0.444 g NO = 0.226 g NO
remaining

Practice Problem #1
1) Propane (C3H8) is a component of natural gas
and is used in domestic cooking and heating.
(a) balance the following equation representing the
combustion of propane in air:
C3 H8 + O2 -----> CO2 + H2O
b) How many grams of CO2 can be produced by
burning 3.65 moles of C3 H8? Assume that O2 is
the excess reagent in this reaction.

Practice Problem #2
2) Consider the reaction
MnO2 + 4HCl ----> MnCl2 + Cl2 + 2H2O
If 0.86 mole of MnO2 and 48.2 g of HCl react,
a) Which reagent will be used up first? Show your
work.
b) How many grams of Cl2 will be produced?

Practice Problem #3
3) In the production of disulfur dichloride, molten
sulfur reacts with chlorine gas according to the
equation below:
S8 (l) + 4 Cl2(g) ----> 4SCl2(l)
If 200.0 g of S react with 100.0g of Cl2,
a) what mass of disulfur dichloride is produced?
b) What reactant is the limiting reagent? Show
your work.
c) What reactant is the excess reagent? Show your
work.
d) How much of the excess reagent is left in
grams?

Practice Problem #4
4)The reaction between solid white phosphorus and
oxygen produces solid tetraphosphorus decoxide
(P4O10).
a) Write the equation and balance it. Hint use the
info. below to determine the reagents.
b) Determine the mass of P4O10 formed if 25.0g of
P4 and 50.0g of O2 are combined.
c) What is the limiting reagent? Show your work.
d) How much of the excess reactant remains after
the reaction stops?

Practice Problem #5
5) The reaction between solid sodium and
iron(III)oxide is one is a series of reactions that
inflates an automobile airbag.
6Na(s) + Fe2O3(s) -----> 3Na2O(s) + 2 Fe(s)
If 100.0 g Na and 100.0 g Fe2O3 are used in this
reaction, determine
a) The limiting reagent.
b) The reactant in excess.
c) The mass of solid iron produced.
d) The mass of excess reactant that remains after
the reaction is complete.

Practice Problem #6
6) Photosynthesis reactions in green plants use
carbon dioxide and water to produce glucose
(C6H12O6) and oxygen.
a)
b)

Write the balanced equation.

If a plant had 88.0g of carbon dioxide and 64.0
g water available for photosynthesis, determine
i. The limiting reactant
ii. The excess reactant and the mass in excess
iii. The mass of glucose produced