A limiting reactant is one which________________?
Correct answer: D. gives the minimum amount of the product under consideration
- A. is taken in lesser quantity in grams as compared to other reactants
- B. is taken in lesser quantity in volume as compared to other reactants
- C. gives the maximum amount of the product which is required
- D. gives the minimum amount of the product under consideration
Explanation
The limiting reactant is consumed first according to the balanced equation, so it determines the maximum, or minimum possible under the available reactant amounts, quantity of product. Its mass or volume alone cannot identify it because different substances have different molar masses and stoichiometric coefficients. Students commonly choose option a by treating the smallest mass as limiting without converting amounts to moles.
Last updated
About Limiting and Excess Reactants
Limiting and excess reactants are identified from the balanced chemical equation and the available amounts of each substance. The limiting reactant determines the maximum product formed, while the excess reactant remains after completion, so questions require mole ratios, theoretical yield and sometimes percentage yield calculations.
Practise Fundamental Concepts of Chemistry
894 free Fundamental Concepts of Chemistry MCQs from Chemistry, each with the correct answer and an explanation. Unlimited attempts, no account needed.
Exams that ask Chemistry questions like this
Chemistry is on 12 papers prepared for on TestUstad, and all of them draw the same bank, so this question is worth knowing for every one of them.
Related questions
2XeF6 + SiO2 --> 2XeOF4 + SiF4 Consider the above chemical reaction. If 122.6 g of XeF6 reacts with 60 g of SiO2 to form the products. Select the limiting reagent and amount of SiF4 formed: (XeF6 245.3 amu, SiO2 = 60 amu, SiF4 = 104 amu)
A container containing two moles of liquid ethanol and four moles of oxygen gas were sparked together to form CO2 & H2O. Identify the heating reagent?
A container containing two moles of liquid ethanol and the gas of oxygen gas was sparked together to form CO2 & HO2-Identify the limiting reagent?
A limiting reactant is the one which:
Consider the reaction below, if 5 moles each of hydrogen and oxygen are reacted to form water, the reaction reveals:2H2 + O2 --> 2H2O