Example #1: 

How many grams of hydrogen gas are needed to react

completely with 54.0 g of oxygen gas, given the following unbalanced
chemical reaction:

H2 + O2 ---> H2O

Solution:

1) Balance the chemical equation:

2H2 + O2 ---> 2H2O

2) Convert grams of the substance given:

54.0 g / 32.0 g/mol = 1.6875 mol of O2

Note the use of 32.0 and not 16.0. The chemical substance is
O2. Students have been known to sometimes forget to write the
subscript of 2 on a diatomic element (H2, N2, O2, F2, Cl2, Br2,
I2)

3) Construct two molar ratios and set them equal to each other:

First molar ratio is from the coefficients of the balanced

chemical equation. The two substances are:
H2
–––
O2

and the numerical ratio is this:

2
–––
1

The second ratio is found within the problem statement. The

H2 is our unknown because the problem says "how many
grams of hydrogen" and the O2 mole amount is the other value.
Like this:

x
–––––
1.6875

I left the mol unit off for convenience. Note also that I did not
round off. I'll do that at the end.
 We need to set the two ratios equal to each other and solve:

2 x
––– = –––––
1 1.6875

x = 3.375 mol of H2 required

4) Convert the calculated moles from step #3 into grams:

(3.375 mol) (2.016 g/mol) = 6.80 g (to three sig figs)

Note: if you did not balance the equation, you'd wind up using an incorrect
1:1 molar ratio rather than the correct 2:1 ratio.

Example #2: How many grams of hydrogen gas are needed to produce

105.0 grams of water, given the following unbalanced chemical reaction:

H2 + O2 ---> H2O

Solution:

1) Balance the chemical equation:

2H2 + O2 ---> 2H2O

2) Convert grams of the substance given:

105.0 g / 18.015 g/mol = 5.82848 mol of H2O

I rounded off some, but I made sure to keep more digits than
what I will round off to at the end.

3) Construct two molar ratios and set them equal to each other:

The two substances in our ratios are these:

H2
––––
H2O

and the numerical ratio from the coefficients of the chemical

equation is this:

2
–––
 2

The second ratio comes from information in the problem:

x
–––––
5.82848

Setting equal and solving:

2 x
––– = –––––––
2 5.82848

x = 5.82848 mol of H2 required

Note: this can be an area of confusion. Since the ratio is a 1:1

ratio, the answer of 5.82848 mol is arrived at easily. However,
many students will forget that the 5.82848 mol answer is now
that of the OTHER substance, the hydrogen.

It seems that, because the number (the 5.82848) didn't change,

the substance didn't change. Consequently, the student will
enter the next (and last) step thinking the 5.82848 still refers to
water.

4) Convert moles to grams:

(5.82848 mol) (2.016 g/mol) = 11.75 g of H2 (to four sig figs)

Example #3: How many grams of hydrogen gas are needed to produce 85.2
grams of ammonia, given the following unbalanced chemical reaction:

N2 + H2 ---> NH3

Solution:

1) Balance the chemical equation:

N2 + 3H2 ---> 2NH3

2) Convert the given grams to moles:

85.2 g / 17.0307 g/mol = 5.00273 mol

3) Construct two molar ratios and set them equal to each other:
 The two substances in our ratios are these:
H2
––––
NH3

The two ratios set equal to each other are:

3 x
––– = –––––––
2 5.00273

x = 7.504095 mol of H2

4) Convert the calculated moles to grams:

(7.504095 mol) (2.016 g/mol) = 15.8 g (to three sig figs)

Example #4: How many grams of chlorine can be liberated from the

decomposition of 64.0 g. of AuCl3 by this reaction:

AuCl3 ---> Au + Cl2

Solution:

1) The provided equation must be balanced correctly:

2AuCl3 ---> 2Au + 3Cl2

2) Convert grams of AuCl3 to moles:

Let x = the moles of AuCl3

64.0 g
x = ––––––––––––
303.32 g/mol

x = 0.210998 mol of AuCl3

The ChemTeam has heard many variations of this:

"But how did you know to convert grams of

AuCl3 to moles?"

I picked AuCl3 to convert from grams to moles because a gram

amount of AuCl3 was provided in the problem.

3) Use two molar ratio involving AuCl3 and Cl2:

 AuCl3
–––––
Cl2

The two molar ratios set equal to each other:

2 0.210998
––– = –––––––
3 x

x = 0.316497 mol of Cl2

This is the hardest step. Constructing the proper ratio and proportion causes
a great deal of confusion.

4) Convert the calculated moles to grams:

(0.316497 mol) (70.906 g/mol) = 22.4 g (to three sig figs)

One question I often get is "Where did the value of 303.32 come from?"
Answer - it's the molar mass of AuCl3. Keep this answer in mind as you
wonder about where other numbers come from in a given solution.

You might also want to consider looking at the solution to the problem and
try to fit it to the list of steps given above. I know what I am suggesting is
horrible and very mean, but then, I'm a teacher. What the heck do I know?

Example #5: Calculate the mass of AgCl that can be prepared from 200. g
of AlCl3 and sufficient AgNO3, using this equation:

3AgNO3 + AlCl3 ---> 3AgCl + Al(NO3)3

Solution:

1) Since the chemical equation is already balanced, let us convert grams of

AlCl3 to moles:

200. g
–––––––––––– = 1.499914 mol of AlCl3
133.341 g/mol

I picked AlCl3 because it was the substance has a gram amount

associated with it in the problem.
2) Use a proportion with molar ratios involving AgCl and AlCl3:

AgCl
–––––
AlCl3
3 x
––– = –––––––
1 1.499914

x = 4.499742 mol of AgCl

The 'x' in the right-hand ratio is associated with the substance

we are trying to calculate an amount for (the AgCl). Look for
phrases like "Calculate the mass of . . ." or "Determine the
mass of . . . " in the problem statement.

3) Convert moles to grams:

(4.499742 mol) (143.323 g/mol) = 645 g (to three sig figs)

By the way, what if you had used the ratio of 1 over 3, with the AlCl3 value
in the numerator? Then, the other ratio would have been reversed and the
answer would have been the same. The ratio and proportion would have
looked like this:

1 1.499914
––– = –––––––
3 x

Example #6: Given this equation:

2KI + Pb(NO3)2 ---> PbI2 + 2KNO3

calculate mass of PbI2 produced by reacting of 30.0 g KI with excess

Pb(NO3)2

Solution:

1) The equation is balanced. Sometimes you're given an unbalanced

equation on the test when all the classroom examples used already-balanced
equations. Make sure you do these problems with a balanced chemical
equation.

2) We are given 30.0 g of KI. Change it to moles:

 30.0 g
–––––––––––– = 0.180725 mol of KI
165.998 g/mol

3) Construct a ratio and proportion:

This ratio:
2
–––
1

comes from the coefficients of the balanced equation.

This ratio:

0.180725
––––––––
x

comes from a consideration of the data in the problem.

Setting the two ratios equal to each other gives us the

proportion to solve:

2 0.180725
–– = ––––––––
1 x

x = 0.0903625 mol <--- this is moles of PbI2

The substance associated with the 'x' is not the one for which the grams are
given in the problem statement. The 'x' is associated with the substance for
which a phrase like "Determine how much . . ." is used.

Notice that a third substance (the Pb(NO3)2) is mentioned, but the word
excess is used to describe it. As you learn more about stoichiometry, the
excess substance will be brought into the calculations. Not yet, however.
Look for it in a section called 'limiting reagent.'

4) Convert moles to grams:

(0.0903625 mol) (461.01 g/mol) = 41.6 g (to three sig figs)

Example #7: If 92.0 g of aluminum is produced, how many grams of

aluminum nitrate reacted?
 Al(NO3)3 + Mg ---> Mg(NO3)2 + Al

Solution:

1) An unbalanced equation was given in the problem. It needs to be

balanced:

2Al(NO3)3 + 3Mg ---> 3Mg(NO3)2 + 2Al

2) Grams of aluminum is given. Convert it to moles:

92.0 g
–––––––––– = 3.4099 mol of Al
26.98 g/mol

3) Use a ratio and proportion involving aluminum and aluminum nitrate:

Al
––––––––
Al(NO3)3
2 3.4099
–– = –––––––
2 x

x = 3.4099 mol <--- this is moles of Al(NO3)3, NOT moles of

Al

Warning: there will be a real temptation in the next step to use the wrong
molar mass

4) Determine grams of the unknown, the aluminum nitrate:

(3.4099 mol) (212.994 g/mol) = 726 g (to three sig figs)

Comments about the ending step of Example #7:

It is quite common in a problem like this for the student to use the molar
mass of Al in this step. I think it is because they see the same value (the
3.4099 mol) in this step as in the second step. The conclusion is that it must
be the same substance. And that is in error.

In the second step, we had 3.4099 mol of aluminum, but after solving the
ratio and proportion, we now have 3.4099 mol of aluminum nitrate.
Be careful on the point, especially if the amount you got at the end equals
the amount you had at the beginning (the 92 grams).

Example #8: How many grams of AuCl3 can be made from 100.0 grams of

chlorine by this reaction:

2Au + 3Cl2 ---> 2AuCl3

Solution:

1) The equation is balanced. Yay!

2) 100.0 g of chlorine is given in the problem. Convert it to moles:

100.0 g
–––––––––– = 1.41032 mol of Cl2
70.906 g/mol

Notice that the element chlorine is diatomic. Students sometimes forget to

write the seven diatomics with the subscripted two. The seven diatomics are:
H2, N2, O2, F2, Cl2, Br2, I2

3) The ratio and proportion will involve Cl2 and AuCl3:

3 1.41032 mol
–– = –––––––––––
2 x

x = 0.940213 mol

Notice that the values associated with chlorine (3 and 1.41032) are in the
numerator and the values associated with gold(III) chloride (2 and x) are in
the denominator. If you were to flip one ratio, you'd have to flip the other.

4) Convert moles of AuCl3 to grams:

(0.940213 mol) (303.329 g/mol) = 285 g

Example #9: Aluminum foil 1.00 cm square and 0.540 mm thick react with
bromine to form aluminum bromide. (a) How many grams of bromine were
consumed? (b) How many grams of aluminum bromide were produced?

Solution:
1) Let us determine the mass, then moles, of Al present:

volume of Al foil ---> (1.00 cm) (1.00 cm) (0.0540 cm) =

0.0540 cm3
Note the change of mm to cm.

mass of Al ---> (2.70 g/cm3) (0.0540 cm3) = 0.1458 g

Note the use of the density of aluminum.

moles of Al ---> 0.1458 g / 26.98154 g/mol = 0.0054037 mol

2) The equation for the reaction is this:

2Al + 3Br2 ---> 2AlBr3

The Al to Br2 molar ratio of 2:3 will be used to answer (a). The

Al to AlBr3 molar ratio of 2:2 will be used to answer (b).

3) Use the Al to Br2 molar ratio to determine moles of Br2 consumed:

2 0.0054037 mol
––––  = –––––––––––––
3 x

x = 0.00810555 mol (of Br2)

4) Determine grams of Br2:

(0.00810555 mol) (159.808 g/mol) = 1.30 g (to three sig figs)

5) Use the Al to AlBr3 molar ratio to determine moles of AlBr3 produced:

2 0.0054037 mol
––––  = –––––––––––––
2 x

x = 0.0054037 mol (of AlBr3)

6) Determine grams of AlBr3:

(0.0054037 mol) (266.694 g/mol) = 1.44 g (to three sig figs)

Example #10: How many grams of oxygen are in a sample of

Ca3(PO4)2 that contains 66.0 g of calcium?
Comment: stoichiometric problems are usually of the "I have one chemical
substance, how much of another chemical substance"? variety. But, they
don't have to be. Here is an example of a mass-mass stoichiometric problem
based on the relationships within one chemical substance.

Solution:

1) Determine moles of calcium:

66.0 g / 40.078 g/mol = 1.6468 mol

2) Determine moles of oxygen in the sample, based on a 3:8 ratio between

Ca and O:

3 8
–––––––––  = –––
1.6368 mol x

x = 4.3648 mol

3) Determine mass of oxygen:

(4.3648 mol) (16.00 g/mol) = 69.8 g

Bonus Example: Solid lithium hydroxide is used in space vehicles to

removed exhaled carbon dioxide from the living environment by forming
solid lithium carbonate and liquid water. (a) What mass of gaseous carbon
dioxide can be absorbed by 1.00 kg of lithium? (b) At STP, what is the
volume of CO2 produced?

Solution:

1) Write the balanced chemical equation for the described reaction:

2LiOH + CO2 ---> Li2CO3 + H2O

2) However, there is a possible problem. The question asks for 1.00 kg of

lithium, not lithium hydroxide. We need to know the molar relationship
between Li and CO2. So, let's make LiOH from Li:

2Li + 2H2O ---> 2LiOH + H2

3) If I add the two reactions, I obtain this:

2Li + CO2 + H2O ---> Li2CO3 + H2

 Note that two LiOH and one H2O cancel out. This third
reaction gives me the Li to CO2 as 2 to 1, so I am now ready to
continue on.

4) Determine moles of Li that react:

1000 g / 6.941 g/mol = 144.07 mol

5) Using the 2:1 molar ratio, I can determine the moles of CO2 consumed:

2 144.07 mol
–––  = –––––––––
1 x

x = 72.035 mol (of CO2)

6) Convert moles to grams to get the answer for (a):

(72.035 mol) (44.009 g/mol) = 3170 g

7) To determine the volume at STP, we can use either PV = nRT or molar

volume:

PV = nRT
(1.00 atm) (V) = (72.035 mol) (0.08206 L
atm / mol K) (273.15 K)

V = 1614.6 L (to three sig figs, this would

be 1610 L)

molar volume

(22.414 L/mol) (72.035 mol) = 1614.6 L (1610

L to three sig figs)

M-V
Given 21.45 L of oxygen gas at STP, how many grams of iron(III) oxide would be produced with excess
iron?

Solution:

1) Write the chemical reaction:

2Fe + 3⁄2O2 ---> Fe2O3

The 1.5 to 1 molar ratio (I'll use 3 to 2 just below. Just to be different.) between O2 and Fe2O3 is the
ratio to use.

2) Determine the moles of oxygen present. You can use PV = nRT or molar volume. I'll use molar
volume:

21.45 L
––––––––––– = 0.95699 mol
22.414 L/mol
The fact that the oxygen gas is at STP allows me to use molar volume. If the conditions had been not
at STP, use of PV = nRT would have been required.

3) Using the O2 to Fe2O3 molar ratio referenced above, determine moles of Fe2O3 produced:

3 0.95699 mol
––– = –––––––––––
2 x
x = 0.6379933 mol [of iron(III) oxide produced]

4) Determine mass of iron(III) oxide produced:

(0.6379933 mol) (159.687 g/mol) = 101.9 g

Example #7: 1.10 g of sodium superoxide, NaO2, was reacted with excess water. Calculate the volume
of oxygen gas measured at RTP produced in the reaction.

Solution:

1) Write the chemical reaction:

2NaO2 + H2O ---> 2NaOH + 3⁄2O2

I have deliberately left it balanced with a fractional coefficient.

2) Determine moles of NaO2 that reacted:

1.10 g
––––––––– = 0.0200 mol
54.988 g/mol
3) NaO2 and O2 are in a 4:3 molar ratio (I left it as 2 to 1.5 up above and doubled it so as to use a
whole-number ratio). Determine the moles of O2 produced:

4 is to 3 as 0.0200 mol is to x
x = 0.0150 mol

4) RTP stands for room temperature and pressure (see the next example for some discussion about
RTP). The values I will use are these:

25.0 °C
1.00 atm
5) Determine the volume of 0.0150 mole of oxygen gas at RTP:
PV = nRT
(1.00 atm) (V) = (0.0150 mol) (0.08206 L atm / mol K) (298 K)

V = 0.3668 L

To three sig figs, this is 367 mL

Example #8: When 4.73 g of a solid was heated, the residue weighed 4.10 g and 320. cm3 of a gas
(measured at room temperature) was evolved. Calculate the molecular mass of the gas.

Solution:

1) Determine the mass of gas produced:

4.73 g minus 4.10 g = 0.63 g

Yay for the Law of Conservation of Mass!

2) Determine the moles of gas produced:

PV = nRT
(____) (0.320 L) = (n) (0.08206 L atm / mok K) (298 K)

A little bit of discussion: (a) the problem is completely silent about the pressure, but we can take our
cue from 'room temperature' and use a value of 1.00 atm for 'room pressure' and (b) note my use of
298 K means that 'room temperature' is 25.0 °C.

Room temperature and pressure is often abbreviated RTP and it NOT a standard thing in chemistry.
Some people use 20.0 °C for RT and some use 1 bar for RP. Make sure you consult with your teacher
as to the RTP values they wish to be used.

(1.00 atm) (0.320 L) = (n) (0.08206 L atm / mok K) (298 K)

n = 0.013086 mol

3) Determine the molar mass of the gas:

0.63 g / 0.013086 mol = 48.14 g/mol

4) Sometimes an instructor will lump steps 2 and 3 together. Like this:

Use PV = nRT and this

n = mass / MW (where MW is the molecular weight or molar mass of the substance)

We can substitute the second equation into PV = nRT thus:

PV = (mass / MW) RT

rearrange:

MW = (mass / V) x (RT/P)

using the values from the problem:

0.63 g (0.08206 L atm/mol K) (298 K)

MW = ––––––– x ––––––––––––––––––––––––– = 48.14 g/mol
0.320 L 1.00 atm
Example #9: What volume of hydrogen gas will be produced when 34.7 g of zinc react with excess
hydrochloric acid at SATP?

Solution:

1) The chemical equation:

Zn + 2HCl ---> ZnCl2 + H2

The key molar ratio is between Zn and H2 and it is a 1:1 ratio.

2) Determine moles of Zn:

34.7 g / 65.38 g/mol = 0.530743 mol

3) Based on the 1:1 molar ratio above, we determine that:

0.530743 mol of H2 is produced.

4) The conditions of SATP (Standard Ambient Temperature and Pressure) are 25.0 °C and 100.0 kPa.
What we must do now is determine the volume of H2 gas at SATP:

PV = nRT
(100.0 kPa / 101.325 kPa/atm) (V) = (0.530743 mol) (0.08206 L atm mol¯1 K¯1 K) (298.0 K)

V = 13.2 L (to three sig figs)

The (100.0 kPa / 101.325 kPa/atm) factor converts kPa to atm, so I can use the R value I did.

5) I saw this question answered on Yahoo Answers and the following was the answer:

(34.7 g Zn) / (65.38 g Zn/mol) x (1 mol H2 / 1 mol Zn) x (24.8 L/mol) = 13.2 L H2
Some discussion on how to determine the 24.8 L/mol:

The conditions for 22.414 L/mol are 0 °C (273.15 K) and 1.00 atm (101.325 kPa). We need to convert
to 25.0 °C (298.15 K) and 100.0 kPa. We do that with the combined gas law:

P1V1 P2V2
––––– = –––––
T1 T2
and fill in the values:

(101.325 kPa) (22.414 L) (100.0 kPa) (x)

–––––––––––––––––––– = ––––––––––––
273.15 K 298.15 K
cross-multiply and divide for the answer:

x = 24.7896 L
to three sig figs, this is 24.8 L for the molar volume at STAP

Example #10: Solid lithium hydroxide is used to "scrub" CO2 from the air in spacecraft and
submarines; it reacts with the CO2 to produce lithium carbonate and water. What volume in liters of
CO2 at 23.0 °C and 722.0 torr can be removed by reaction with 478.0 g of lithium hydroxide?

Solution:

1) First, let us write the balanced chemical equation:

2LiOH + CO2 ---> Li2CO3 + H2O

The molar ratio of importance is the 2:1 ratio between LiOH and CO2
2) Convert 478.0 g to moles:

478.0 g / 23.9479 g/mol = 19.96 mol

3) Use the molar ratio above to determine moles of CO2 that react:

2 is to 1 as 19.96 ml is to x
x = 9.98 mol

4) Determine volume in liters:

PV = nRT
(722.0 torr / 760.0 torr/atm) (V) = (9.98 mol) (0.08206 L atm / mol K) (300. K)

V = 259 L (to three sig figs)

Bonus Problem: Sodium reacts with water to form sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas according to
the equation:

2Na(s) + 2H2O(ℓ) ---> 2NaOH(aq) + H2(g)

(a) If 90.0 grams of sodium is dropped into 80.0 g of water, how many liters of hydrogen at STP would
be produced?
(b) Which reactant is in excess and how much of it is left over?

Solution:

1) Let us determine how much H2 would be produced by 90.0 g of Na (assuming sufficient water):

90.0 g / 22.99 g/mol = 3.91474 mol

For every two moles of Na, one mole of H2 is produced.

1.95737 mol of H2 is produced

2) Let us determine how much H2 would be produced by 80.0 g of water (assuming sufficient sodium):

80.0 g / 18.015 g/mol = 4.44074 mol

For every two moles of H2O, one mole of H2 is produced.

2.22037 mole of H2 is produced

3) Na runs out first. It is the limiting reagent. Water is the excess reagent. How much of it is left?

Note the 1:1 molar ratio between sodium and water.

That means that 3.91474 mol of water was used up while the 3.91474 mol of Na was being used up
completely.

4) The amount of water that remains is this (the answer to (b)):

4.44074 mol - 3.91474 mol = 0.526 mol

(0.526 mol) (18.015 g/mol) = 9.48 g (to three sig figs)

4) How many liters of H2 is produced (the answer to (a))?

PV = nRT
(1.00 atm) (V) = (1.95737 mol) (0.08206 L atm mol¯1 K¯1) (273 K)

V = 43.85 L (rounds to 43.8 for three sig figs)

5) Since the conditions are at STP, the molar volume could be used:

(1.95737 mol) (22.414 L/mol) = 43.87 L (rounds to 43.9 L for 3 sig figs)