Question

consider the reaction: 4HCl + O2-2H2O + 2Cl. If 14 g of HCl are reacted with 5.5 g of O2. Which is the limiting reagent?

Answer 1

4HCl + O₂  --------------> 2H₂O + 2Cl₂

Number of moles of HCl = 14 g / 36.46 g/mol = 0.384 mole

Number of moles of O2 = 5.5 g / 32.0 g/mol = 0.172 mole

From the balanced equation, we can say that

4 mole of HCl requires 1 mole of O2

so 0.384 mole of HCl will require

= 0.384 mole of HCl *(1 mole of O2 / 4 mole of HCl)

= 0.0.096 mole of O2

But we have 0.172 mole of O2 which is in excess so O2 is an excess reactant and

so HCl is the limiting reactant

Answer limiting reactant = HCl