Edexcel GCSE Chemistry 1CH0
Key Concepts in Chemistry
States of Matter and Mixtures
Chemical Changes
Extracting Metals and Equilibria
Transition Metals, Quantitative Chemistry and Industrial Processes
Groups in the Periodic Table
Rates of Reaction and Energy Changes
Fuels and Earth Science
Chemical Analysis, Organic Chemistry and Materials
Key Concepts in Chemistry
Limiting reactants and stoichiometry
- 1 thing to know
- Papers 1 and 2
Overview
What a limiting reactant is and why it controls the mass of product, identifying the reactant in excess and why one is often used, and deducing stoichiometry and balanced equations from reacting masses converted into moles.
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Questions from this subtopic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
What is meant by the limiting reactant in a reaction?
Model answer
The reactant that is completely used up and so brings the reaction to a stop.
- 2
Explain why the mass of product formed is controlled by the reactant that is not in excess.
Model answer
Product can only form while both reactants are present, so no more is made once the reactant not in excess has run out.
- 3
Why does the amount of the reactant in excess have no effect on the mass of product?
Model answer
Part of it is simply left over unreacted when the other reactant is used up.
- 4
In 2Mg + O₂ → 2MgO, 0.1 mol of magnesium is burned in 0.5 mol of oxygen. Which reactant is limiting?
Model answer
The magnesium, because only 0.05 mol of oxygen is needed to react with it.
- 5
Marble chips are added to dilute hydrochloric acid and some chips remain when fizzing stops. Which reactant was limiting?
Model answer
The acid, because it was all used up while marble chips were still present.
- 6
What happens to the mass of product if the amount of limiting reactant is doubled and the other reactant stays in excess?
Model answer
The mass of product doubles.
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