Limiting Reagent

Also called

limiting reactant · excess reagent · reactant in excess · stoichiometry · mole ratio · 2H2 + O2 → 2H2O · hydrogen and oxygen make water · theoretical yield · actual yield · percentage yield · mole concept · सीमांत अभिकर्मक · प्रतिशत लब्धि · मोल अनुपात

Topics

• 2H₂ + O₂ → 2H₂O: two moles of hydrogen react with one mole of oxygen to give two moles of water.
• The limiting reagent is the reactant that is used up first; it decides how much product can form.
• With 4 H₂ and 1 O₂, the one O₂ uses only 2 H₂: two H₂O form and two H₂ are left in excess. O₂ limits.
• With 2 H₂ and 3 O₂, hydrogen runs out first: two H₂O form and two O₂ are left over. H₂ limits.
• To find it, divide each reactant’s moles by its coefficient in the equation; the smallest result limits.
• Theoretical yield is what the limiting reagent can give; actual yield is the amount really collected.
• Percentage yield = actual ÷ theoretical × 100: collecting 32.4 g of a possible 36 g of water is 90 %.
• In a reaction atoms are only rearranged, never made or destroyed, so mass is conserved.

About this model

A GLB file of about 415 KB, shown in Lably's 3D viewer and, on a phone, placed in your room with AR. Credit: Model, science and animation: Lably (built procedurally with three.js; no downloaded meshes). | CC BY 4.0. Original geometry and animation made for Lably.

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