Quantitative Chemistry

Limiting Reactants - Higher

 Agenda
Define limiting reactant

Describe the effect of a limiting reactant on the

maximum mass of a product a reaction can
produce

Calculate the limiting reactant from a balanced

symbol equation and information provided

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Warm up
1. Calculate the relative formula mass of NaHCO3 (sodium hydrogen carbonate).
2. Deduce the charge on the HCO3 ion in NaHCO3.
3. Calculate the number of moles in 2 g of NaHCO3.
4. Calculate the number of moles in 50 cm3 of a 1 M solution.
5. The symbol equation below shows the reaction between NaHCO3 and ethanoic acid
(vinegar), complete the equation:
NaHCO3 + C2H3 OOH NaC2H3O2 + _______ + _______

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Warm up
1. Calculate the relative formula mass of NaHCO3 (sodium hydrogen carbonate).
23 + 1 + 12 + (16 x 3) = 84
2. Deduce the charge on the HCO3 ion in NaHCO3. HCO3-
3. Calculate the number of moles in 2 g of NaHCO3. 2 / 84 = 0.024 mol
4. Calculate the number of moles in 50 cm3 of a 1 M solution. 1 x (50 / 1000) = 0.05 mol
5. The symbol equation below shows the reaction between NaHCO3 and ethanoic acid
(vinegar), complete the equation:
NaHCO3 + C2H3 OOH NaC2H3O2 + CO2 + H2O

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Limiting reactant
The limiting reactant is the reactant in the shortest supply in the reaction
– the one that will be used up first.

● This reactant will limit the overall volume or mass of product.

● Increasing the limiting reactant will increase the mass of product.

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 NaHCO3 reaction with vinegar

When ethanoic acid is added to NaHCO3 the reactants

start to fizz (effervesce) producing CO2 gas.

This gas can be collected in a balloon.

Credit: Sodium bicarbonate and ethanoic

acid by Leisl, Flikr.

NaHCO3 + C2H3 OOH NaC2H3O2 + CO2 + H2O

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NaHCO3 and ethanoic acid
Method
1. Place the same volume of ethanoic acid into 3
test tubes.
2. Put different mass of NaHCO3 into each test
tube and place a balloon on top of each test
tube to collect the gas.
What are the variables?
Independent = Mass of the NaHCO3 Credit: Oak
National

Dependent = Volume of CO2 produced

● Volume of ethanoic acid Test tubes with

Control = ● Concentration of ethanoic acid ethanoic acid and
NaHCO3

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Practical results

Test tube Mass of Moles of Moles of Observations

NaHCO3 (g) NaHCO3 ethanoic
acid
1 2 0.02 0.05 Gas is given off.
Balloon fills with CO2.

2 4 0.05 0.05 Reaction is faster.

More gas is given off, balloon filled
more.
3 6 0.07 0.05 Reaction is faster, balloon filled the
same as 2.
Some unreacted NaHCO3 left at the
bottom of test tube.

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Explanation
● A smaller volume of gas was produced in reaction 1 than in 2 or 3.
The volume of gas produced in experiment 3 was the same as experiment 2.

● A smaller volume was produced in reaction 1 because the sodium hydrogen carbonate
was the limiting reactant. Only 0.02 moles of bicarbonate was added, which means only
0.02 moles of carbon dioxide could be produced.

● The same overall volume of carbon dioxide was produced in experiment 2 and 3 as the
NaHCO3 was in excess, i.e the ethanoic acid became limiting. The maximum volume that
could be produced was the same in both experiments – it was 0.05 moles.

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Pause the video to complete your task

Limiting reactants

1. What is a limiting reactant?

2. What does excess mean?
3. What is an independent variable?
4. What is a control variable?

Resume once you’re finished

Review

1. What is a limiting reactant? The limiting reactant is the reactant in

the shortest supply in the reaction – the one that will be used up first.
2. What does excess mean? Adding more than is needed.
3. What is an independent variable? The variable that is changed.
4. What is a control variable? The variables that are kept the same.

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Calculating limiting reactants
115 g of sodium was burnt in 80 g of oxygen. Which reactant is the
limiting reactant?
4Na + O2 2Na2O

Work out the Mr 92 32 124

÷92
Take one mass
x 115
from the question
115 ÷92
So only 40 g of oxygen is
Work out scale needed to react with 115 g
factor x 115
sodium, but we added 80
Apply to the other g, so sodium will run out
reactant to see first.
how much is 40
needed

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Another example
What is the limiting reactant when 96 g of magnesium sulfate is reacted
with 13 g of calcium?
Ca + MgSO4 CaSO4 + Mg

Work out the Mr 40 120 136 24

Take one mass ÷40

from the question x 13

Work out scale 13 ÷40 13 g of Ca needs 39 g of

factor x 13 MgSO4.
Apply to the other
96 g of MgSO4 has been
reactant to see added so calcium is the
how much is 39 limiting reactant.
needed

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 Limiting reactants calculation scaffold
Step

1. Equation

2. Write the Mr underneath

3. Substitute one mass in and

work out the scale factor

4. Apply the scale factor to the

other reactant to work out how
much SHOULD be used

5. Conclusion

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Independent practice
1. 2Mg + O2 2MgO
What is the limiting reactant when 900 g of magnesium is reacted with
800 g of oxygen?
1. 4Na + O2 2Na2O
If 40 kg of sodium was reacted with 20 kg of oxygen. What is the
limiting reactant?
1. 2Fe + 3Cl2 2FeCl3
In a reaction, 0.896 g of iron was added to 0.8 g chlorine. What is the
limiting reactant?

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Independent practice review
1. What is the limiting reactant when 900 g of magnesium is reacted with
800 g of oxygen?
2Mg + O2 2MgO
Work out the Mr 48 32 80

Take one mass ÷48 x

from the question 900
To react 900 g of Mg
Work out scale 900 ÷48 takes 600 g of O2.
factor x 900
800 g of O2 has been
Apply to the other added so Mg is the
reactant to see limiting reactant.
how much is 600
needed

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Independent practice review
2. If 40 g of sodium was reacted with 20 g of oxygen. What is the limiting
reactant?
4Na + O2 2Na2O
Work out the Mr 92 32 124

Take one mass ÷92

from the question x 40
To react 40 g of Na needs
Work out scale 40 ÷92 13.9 g of O2.
factor x 40 20 g of O2 has been
Apply to the other
added, so Na is the
reactant to see limiting reactant.
how much is 13.9
needed

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Independent practice review
3. In a reaction, 0.96 g of iron was added to 0.8 g chlorine. What is the
limiting reactant?
2Fe + 3Cl2 2FeCl3
Work out the Mr 112 213 325

Take one mass ÷ 112

from the question x 0.96
To react 0.96 g of Fe
Work out scale 0.96 ÷ 112 takes 1.83 g of Cl2.
factor x 0.96 0.8 g of Cl2 has been
added so Cl2 is the
Apply to the other
reactant to see
limiting reactant.
how much is 1.83
needed

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Summary

● Define a limiting reactant

● Describe the effect of a limiting reactant on the maximum mass of products a
reaction can produce
● Calculate the limiting reactant from a balanced symbol equation and
information provided

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Complete the plenary quiz

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