Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry is the process of determining how much product is made or how much reactant is needed
during a chemical reaction. As we know, in chemical reactions atoms are conserved. We show this in a
balanced chemical equation.

The balanced chemical equation tells us two things:

1. Reactants and products involved in the chemical change (rearrangement of atoms).

2. The ratio of particles involved. This ratio can be seen either as a ratio of individual particles or
as a ratio of moles.

In lab, it is only practical to work with moles of substances rather than individual atoms or molecules,
and so we interpret our equations as a ratio of moles, or a mole ratio.

Example: 2 Mg(s) + O2(g)  2 MgO(s)

For the reaction above, we would interpret the balanced chemical equation as:

For every 2 moles of Mg that reacts, 1 mole of O2 is required and 2 moles of MgO are produced.

Thus, the mole ratio is: 2 moles Mg : 1 mole O2 : 2 moles of MgO

The mole ratio relationship can be used to make predictions about how much reactant is needed to
make a specific amount of product or how much product can be made from the available amount of
reactant.

Making Predictions
In every reaction, there are three stages to consider:

1. Before: amounts of each substance present before the reaction takes place.
2. Change: how much of each substance actually changes during the reaction.
3. After: amounts of each substance present after the reaction takes place.
These three stages will be organized into a Before-Change-After (BCA) table.
Stoichiometry: Limiting Reactant (when there are two given values)
1. A S'more is made by combining 2 graham crackers, 1 marshmallow, and 1 bar of chocolate.
If you have the following ingredients available, how many S'mores can you make?
8 graham crackers, 5 marshmallows, and 12 bars of chocolate

Equation: 2 graham crackers + 1 marshmallow + 1 chocolate  1 S’more

Before: 8 5 12 0

Change:

After:

Which ingredient is used up first?_____________________________________________

Identify any ingredients that are left over.________________________________________

Limiting Reactant (Reagent) - ___________________________________________________________

Excess Reactant (Reagent) - ____________________________________________________________

2. If you have the following ingredients available, how many S'mores can you make?
14 graham crackers, 6 marshmallows, and 8 bars of chocolate

Equation: 2 graham crackers + 1 marshmallow + 1 chocolate  1 S’more

Before:

Change:

After:

# of S’mores produced:_____________________________________________________

Identify the limiting reactant._________________________________________________

Identify the excess reactants._________________________________________________

How much of each excess reactant remain?

3. Hydrogen and oxygen react to form water according to the equation below. 4.0 moles of hydrogen
and 4.0 moles of oxygen are mixed together and allowed to react.
2 H2(g) + O2(g)  2 H2O(l)
a) Draw a particulate representation of the particles in the reaction container.

Before After

i. How many moles of water are produced?

ii. Which reactant is completely used?

iii. Which reactant is in excess?

iv. How many moles of excess reactant remain after the reaction?

b) Construct a Before-Change-After Table for the reaction mixture.

i. How many moles of water are produced?

ii. Which reactant is completely used?

iii. Which reactant is in excess?

iv. How many moles of excess reactant remain after the reaction?

c) Based on the two methods above (particulate drawing and BCA table), what determines how
much product is made from a particular reactant mixture?
4. Nitrogen gas and hydrogen gas react to form ammonia gas according to the equation below.
3 moles of nitrogen and 6 moles of hydrogen are placed into a reaction vessel and allowed to react.
N2(g) + 3 H2(g)  2 NH3(g)
a) Draw a particulate representation of the particles in the reaction container.

Before After

i. How many moles of ammonia gas are produced?

ii. What is the limiting reactant?

iii. Which reactant is in excess?

iv. How many moles of excess reactant remain?

b) Construct a Before-Change-After Table for the reaction mixture.

i. How many moles of ammonia gas are produced?

ii. What is the limiting reactant?

iii. Which reactant is in excess?

iv. How many moles of excess reactant remain after the reaction?

c) How many liters of NH3 gas are produced at STP from this reaction mixture?
5. Methanol, CH3OH, is formed by the reaction of hydrogen and carbon monoxide.
CO + 2 H2  CH3OH
a) If 5.0 moles CO and 8.0 moles H2 are present, how many moles of CH3OH are formed?

b) What is the limiting reactant (reagent)?

c) What is the excess reactant (reagent)?

d) How many moles of the excess react remain unchanged (unreacted/left over)?

e) The same reaction is performed using different amounts of reactants. 15 grams of carbon
monoxide and 5.1 grams of hydrogen are combined and allowed to react.
(i) What is the limiting reactant?
(ii) How many grams of product are formed?
(iii) How many grams of excess reactant are left over unreacted?
Stoichiometry with one given value
Sample Problem 1:

How many moles of H2 are produced when 0.4 moles of CaH2 react?

CaH2 + 2 H2O  Ca(OH)2 + 2 H2

Before:

Change:

After:

Sample Problem 2:

3 Li2S + 2 AlCl3  6 LiCl + Al2S3

a) How many moles of LiCl and Al2S3 are made when 6.3 moles of Li2S react?

b) How many moles of LiCl and Al2S3 are produced when 2.2 moles of AlCl3 react?
Sample Problem 3:

Fe2O3 + 3 C  2 Fe + 3 CO

a) How many moles of Fe2O3 and C are required to produce 9.0 moles of CO?

b) How many moles of Fe are made when 12 moles of C react?

Sample Problem 4:

How many grams of NH3 will be produced when 4.2 moles of H2 react?

N2 + 3 H2  2 NH3

Summary:
Limiting Reactant Practice Problems
1. 2 Na(s) + Cl2(g)  2 NaCl(s)
a) 6.0 mol of Na and 4.0 mol of Cl2 are mixed. How many moles of NaCl in moles can be made
from this mixture?
b) What is the limiting reactant?
c) What is the excess reactant?

2. C2H4(g) + 3 O2(g)  2 CO2(g) + 2 H2O(g)

a) 2.7 mol of C2H4 is reacted with 6.3 mol of O2, how many moles of water will be made?
b) What is the limiting reactant?
c) What is the excess reactant?

3. 2 Cu(s) + S(s)  Cu2S(s)

a) If 80.00 grams of copper is reacted with 25.00 grams of sulfur, how many grams of product
can be produced?
b) What is the limiting reactant?
c) What is the excess reactant?
d) How many grams of the excess reactant are left over at the end of the reaction?

Stoichiometry Practice Problems

Practice Problem 1:
Ca(OH)2 + 2 HCl  2 H2O + CaCl2

a) How many moles of Ca(OH)2 are required to react with 6.4 moles of HCl?
b) How many moles of HCl are required to produce 3.5 moles of H2O?
c) How many moles of Ca(OH)2 are required to produce 12 moles of H2O?

Practice Problem 2:
2 C2H2 + 5 O2  4 CO2 + 2 H2O

a) How many moles of O2 are required to produce 8.2 moles of H2O?

b) How many moles of H2O are produced when 10.5 moles of O2 react?
c) How many moles of C2H2 are required to produce 3.6 moles of H2O?
d) How many molecules of CO2 are produced when 7.4 moles of C2H2 burn completely in oxygen?

Practice Problem 3:
C3H8 + 5 O2  3 CO2 + 4 H2O

a) If 12 moles of carbon dioxide are formed, how many moles of C3H8 (propane) were burned?
b) If 2.33 moles of C3H8 are burned, how many grams of CO2 are made?
c) How many moles of oxygen are required to react with 3.01 moles of C3H8?
d) How many liters of CO2 are produced when 4.2 moles of C3H8 burn in excess O2 at STP?

Practice Problem 4:
2 AgNO3(aq) + MgBr2(aq)  2 AgBr(s) + Mg(NO3)2(aq)

a) How many moles of MgBr2 are required to react completely with 3.55 moles of AgNO3?
b) If 3.13 moles of MgBr2 react completely with excess AgNO3, how many grams of AgBr are
formed?
c) To produce 1.98 moles of AgBr, how many grams of MgBr2 are needed?