Limiting Reagent Vs. Excess Reagent

In class we took notes over limiting reagents and excess reagents in chemical reactions. The limiting reagent is the reactant that runs out first when the product is being formed. Therefore, the maximum amount of the product that can be formed is equivalent to the limiting reagent. On the other hand, excess reagents are the reactants that are left over after the product has been formed in the chemical reaction. I found this link to be helpful in understanding limiting and excess reagents. In order to figure out which reactant is the limiting and excess reagent you have to convert both reactants into the product using given masses, moles, or representative particles. Whichever reactant converts to the lower amount of the product is the limiting reagent and the higher amount is the excess reagent. After calculating out which reactant is the limiting reagent, we can use that amount to determine the amount of the excess reagent that remains. Taking the amount the limiting reagent formed of the product, you convert it to the excess reagent and find the difference between it the given mass or moles. I found this link helpful to practice these problems.

Copper Chloride and Iron Lab

We finished our Copper (II) Chloride lab in class today. We started the lab by adding Copper (II) Chloride to water in a baby food jar. Once all of the Copper (II) Chloride was dissolved, a nail was placed in the solution. This nail stayed in the solution overnight and then was removed, rinsing the copper into the baby food jar. Next we drained the liquid out of the baby food jar and then rinsed it with hydrochloric acid and water. This link helped when we were trying to figure out what charge of iron was in our reaction.

Percent Yield

Our newest subject in stoichiometry is the percent yield of a chemical reaction. In order to calculate percent yield, the actual yield has to be given within the problem. The formula for percent yield is (actual yield/theoretical yield) x100 . Calculating the theoretical yield requires converting the limiting reagent into the desired product of the reaction. I found this link to be helpful in understanding and calculating percent yield.

Stoichiometry

In class, we took our first set of notes on stoichiometry. This link was helpful in understanding the concept of stoichiometry and stoichiometry problems. We learned how to convert a given mass of a reactant into the mass of product, or using the mass desired mass of the product, calculating how much of a reactant is needed. This link helped me to practice these mass to mass conversions.