GENERAL CHEMISTRY 1

MODULE 4

I. INTRODUCTION:
This module aims to design using multimedia, demonstrations, or models, a
representation or simulation of atomic structure, gas behavior, mass relationships and
reactions.
It is a customary practice in chemical education to allow introductory laboratory
students to determine graphical relationships between substances undergoing chemical
change. Typical plots that illustrate the relationship between reactants and products often
involve the variables of mass or moles (1, 2).

For example, let’s pretend that you just bought an old house as is, with the water
turned off. On moving day, you twist the hot water tap as far as it will go, and all you get is a
slow drip, drip, drip. As if the lack of hot water weren’t enough to ruin your day, you also have a
toothache because of a cavity that you haven’t had time to get filled.
As a chemist in training, you want to know what chemical changes have caused your
troubles. In this chapter, you will read about the chemical change that causes a solid to form in
your hot water pipes, eventually blocking the flow of water through them.
Chemical changes, like the ones mentioned above, are described with chemical
equations. This module begins with a discussion of how to interpret and write chemical
equations.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the subject, the learners must be able to:
1. Explain the concept of limiting reagent in chemical reaction.
2. Identify the excess reagents.
3. Calculate percent yield and theoretical yield of the reaction

II. MODULE CONTENT:

A. LIMITING AND EXCESS REACTANTS

It is a deal for Reaction to produce the maximum quantity of a compound from the
starting materials. One Reactant is supply in excess such that the more expensive reactant
is converted completely to the desired product. a small amount of the reactant will be left
at the end of the reaction. the limiting reagent is the reactant that is first used up. hurry up
and has been completely used up, no more product will be formed. On the other hand,
Excess reagents are the reactants present in the quantities greater the necessary to react
with the quantity of the limiting reagent.
 Chemical reactions are limited by the amount of the reactant used. In one of the
reactants is completely consumed, the reaction stops.
Consider the preparation of kebab as an example. Suppose that you have to
prepare kebabs, each kebab should have 2 pieces of cube ham and 3 pine apple chunks.
There are 4 barbecue sticks, 15 pine apple chunks, and 8 pieces of cube ham.

Note that the number of cubed ham pieces limits the number of kebabs that can be
assembled, while the pine apple chunks are excess.
Another example is given in the reaction N2 reacts with H2 to form 2 moles of
NH3. Lets answer the problem below;
N2 + H2 2NH3
Balance equation of the reaction
Example No 1: What is the greatest amount NH3 (in moles) that can be made with 3.2
moles of N2 and 5.4 moles of H2? Which is the limiting and excess reactant? Which
reactant is in excess? And how many moles of it are left over?
To answer the question above, we will use the standard equation of the
reaction as a reference.
Lets answer the question systematically:
Step 1: Identify the Given
Given moles of N2= 3.2 moles , Given moles of H2= 5.4 moles
Actual number of moles N2 in the equation=1 mole
Actual number of moles H2 in the equation= 1 mole
Actual number of moles H2 in the equation= 2 moles
Step 2: Identify what is being asked
a. Which is the limiting and excess reactant?
b. What is the greatest amount of NH3 can be made?
c. How many moles are left over?
Step 3: Solution
a. Which is the limiting and excess reactant?
The first thing we should do is to find the limiting and excess reactant. By the
word itself reactant meaning we are going to identify which of the 2 components in the
reactants (left side of the reaction) will be the excess and limiting. We will be using mole
ratio in order to solve it
Lets identify the number of moles of the reactant and the product based on the
equation and on the balanced equation
N2 + H2 2NH3
The number on the left side of the component or what we call as the
coefficient indicates the number of moles. N2 is 1 mole H2 is 1 mole and the product NH3 is
2 moles. Use this number of moles as the actual number of moles of the component in the
reaction.
Now let’s use the moles ratio to find the number of moles we can consume as
we use this amount of reactant in the to produce another reactant.
3mol H2
3.2 Mole of N2 x 1 mol N2 = 9.6 Mole H2 Limiting reactant
1mole N2
5.4 Mole of H2 x = 1.8 Mole N2 excess reactant
3 mol H2

On that solution we can say that H2 is the limiting reactant and N2 is the excess
reactant because to produce the product with 3.2 mole of N2 we will be needing 9.6 mole
of H2 which is on the problem we only have 5.4 mol H2 this will limit the amount of product
to be formed. While in H2 to produce the product with 5.4 mole of H2 we will only be
needing 1.8 mole of N2 and based of the problem the given mole is 3.2 mole there is still
excess mole.
Note that having much smaller result will not automatically say that it is the limiting
reactant and higher result will be the excess reactant. Make sure to analyze the result
based on the problem that you have.
b. What is the greatest amount of NH3 can be made?
As we already find the limiting and excess reactant, we can now solve
the greatest amount we can make with the product. We will be using the mole
limiting reactant to solve it.
3mol NH3
5.4 Mole of N2 x = 3.6 Mole NH3
3 mol H2

On that solution we can say that the greatest amount of product we

can make is 3.6 moles of NH3.
c. How many moles are left over?
We will be using the excess reactant to find the left over. We will subtract
the number of moles we computed on excess with the given number of the excess
reactant based on the problem. Again, the excess reactant is N2
3.2 moles of N2 – 1.8 moles of N2 = 1.4 moles of N2 is the left over

This time we are going to work with complex problem. this time the given
is in grams. Lets answer the problem below:
Example No. 2: What is the greatest amount of AlCl3 (in gram) that can be make with 114
grams of Al and 186 grams of Cl2? Which is the limiting reactant? Which reactant is in
excess, and how many grams of it are left over?
2Al + 3Cl2 2AlCl3
Balance equation of the reaction
To answer the question above, we will use the standard equation of the
reaction as a reference.
Lets answer the question systematically:
Step 1: Identify the Given
Mass of Al= 144g, Cl2= 186g
Actual mole of Al= 2 moles , Actual mole of Cl2= 3 moles
Actual mole of AlCl3= 2 moles
Step 2: Identify what is being asked
a. Which is the limiting and excess reactant?
b. What is the greatest amount of AlCl3 can be made( in grams)?
c. How many grams are left over?
Step 3: Solution
a. Which is the limiting and excess reactant?
In this type of problem, the first thing we have to do is convert the mass of the
reactants (Al & Cl) to mole.
1mol Al
144g of Al x 26.98g 𝐴𝑙 = 4.23 mol Al
1mol Cl2
186g of Cl2 x 70.90gCl2 = 2.62 mol Cl2

As we convert this mass to mole we can now find which of the two reactant is the
limiting and the excess reactant. Let’s follow the step that we have on the first example,
Now let’s use the moles ratio to find the number of moles we can consume as we use
this amount of reactant in the to produce another reactant.

3mol of Cl2
4.23 mol of Al x = 6.35 mol Cl2 Limiting reactant
2mol Al
2mol of Al
2.26 mol of Cl2 x = 1.75 𝑚𝑜𝑙 Al excess reactant
3mol Cl2

On that solution we can say that Cl2 is the limiting reactant and Al is the excess
reactant because to produce the product with 4.23 mole of Al we will be needing 6.35 mole
of Cl2 which is on the problem we only have 2.26 mol Cl2 this will limit the amount of
product to be formed. While in Cl2, to produce the product with 2.26 mole of Cl2 we will only
be needing 1.75 mole of Al and based of the problem the given mole is 4.23 mole there is
still excess mole.
Again, that having much smaller result will not automatically say that it is the
limiting reactant and higher result will be the excess reactant. Make sure to analyze the
result based on the problem that you have.
b. What is the greatest amount of AlCl3 can be made (in grams)
As we already find the limiting and excess reactant, we can now solve the
greatest amount we can make with the product. We will be using the mole
limiting reactant to solve it.
2mol AlCl3
2.26 Mole of Cl2 x = 1.75 Mole AlCl3
3 mol Cl2

On that solution we can say that the greatest amount of product we

can make is 1.75 moles of AlCl3. But on the problem we need to find the mass
of it in grams so we have to convert the moles to grams. To find this we will be
needing the molar mass of AlCl3.
Molar mass of AlCl3 = 26.98 + (3 x 35.45) = 133.33 g/mol
To get the molar mass of the compound we just have to get the actual
mass of each element add it all. If there is a subscript just multiply it with the
mass of the element.
133.33 g AlCl3
1.75 Mole of AlCl3 x = 233 g AlCl3
1 mol AlCl3

c. How many grams are left over?

To find the left over we will be needing the result of the excess reactant. Al in the
problem is 4.23 mol and the computed amount of Al we can use if we will be using the
other reactant is 1.75 mol. We have to find the difference of the two by subtracting it and
then convert the answer to mass.
Left over in mole = given moles – computed mole
= 4.23 mol – 1.74mol
= 2.48 mol Al is the left over
26.98 g Al
Convert in grams = 2.48 Mole of Al x = 66.9 g Al
1 mol Al
C. PERCENT YIELD AND THEORETICAL YIELD

Chemical reactions in the real world don't always go exactly as planned on paper. In the
course of an experiment, many things will contribute to the formation of fewer products than would
be predicted. Besides spills and other experimental errors, there are usually losses due to an
incomplete reaction, undesirable side reactions, etc. Chemists need a measurement that indicates
how successful a reaction has been. This measurement is called the percent yield.

To compute the percent yield, it is first necessary to determine how much of the product
should be formed based on stoichiometry. This is called the theoretical yield, the maximum amount
of product that could be formed from the given amounts of reactants. The actual yield is the
amount of product that is actually formed when the reaction is carried out in the laboratory.
The percent yield is the ratio of the actual yield to the theoretical yield, expressed as a percentage.

𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑌𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑
𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑌𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑 = × 100%
𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑌𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑

Percent yield is very important in the manufacture of products. Much time and money is
spent improving the percent yield for chemical production. When complex chemicals are
synthesized by many different reactions, one step with a low percent yield can quickly cause a
large waste of reactants and unnecessary expense.

Typically, percent yields are understandably less than 100% because of the reasons
indicated earlier. However, percent yields greater than 100% are possible if the measured product
of the reaction contains impurities that cause its mass to be greater than it actually would be if the
product was pure. When a chemist synthesizes a desired chemical, he or she is always careful to
purify the products of the reaction.

Theoretical yield is calculated based on the stoichiometry of the chemical equation. The
actual yield is experimentally determined. The percent yield is determined by calculating the ratio of
actual yield/theoretical yield.
Example: Consider the balanced equation
C3H8 + 5O2 3CO2 + 4H2O
30 g of C3H8 burns in air to produce 70g of CO2. Calculate the theoretical and percent
yield of the reaction
Step 1: convert the mass of the limiting reactant which is C3H8 to moles. We will be using the molar
mass of C3H8 to convert it. Note that to find the molar you have find the actual mass of the element
and add it together if it has subscript just multiply it with mass of the element.
Step 2: convert the mole of the limiting reactant to the mole of the product
Step 3: convert the mole of the product to mass of it
 Note this circle below indicate the steps:

1 2 3

1mole ofC3H8 3 mole of CO2 44 g CO2

30 g of C3H8 x 𝑥 1 mol of C3H8 𝑥 1 mole of CO2= 90g CO2
44g of C3H8

90 g is the theoretical yield of CO2 now we can find the percent yield
𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑌𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑
𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑌𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑 = × 100%
𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑌𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑
Using the formula above we can now find the percent yield. 70 g is the actual
yield base on the problem
70𝑔
𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑌𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑 = × 100%
90𝑔
= 77.78 % is the percent yield

III. ACTIVITIES
Activity 1: LIMITING AND EXCESS REACTANT
A. Direction: Identify what is limiting and excess reactant on the following problem. Write your
calculation systematically.
3Si + 2N2 Si3N4

1. What is the greatest amount Si3N4 (in moles) that can be made with 2.1 moles of Si
and 4.9 moles of N2? Which is the limiting and excess reactant? Which reactant is in
excess? And how many moles of it are left over? (Note: use the balance equation
above as the reference) (Atomic Mass: Si= 28.09, N= 14.01)

2Na + Cl2 2NaCl

2. What is the greatest amount of NaCl (in gram) that can be made with 98 grams of Al
and 112g of Cl2? Which is the limiting reactant? Which reactant is in excess, and how
many grams of it are left over? (Note: use the balance equation above as the
reference) (Atomic Mass: Na= 22.99, Cl= 35.45)

B. Direction: Explain which of the following is excess and limiting reactant based on the
problem.

1. Suppose you are going to prepare some coffee each cup of coffee should have 1
tablespoon of creamer, 1 teaspoon of coffee granules, 2 tablespoon sugar. You have 8
table spoon of creamer, 6 teaspoon of coffee granules, and 16 tablespoons of sugar.
Which of the material is the limiting reactant and which are the excess? Explain your
answer.
 2. You are going to make some hamburger each hamburger should have 1 burger patty,
2 pieces of bun. There are 24 pieces of bun and 14 pieces of burger patty. Which of
the 2 material is the limiting and excess reactant? Explain your answer.

Activity # 2: PERCENT YIELD AND THEORETICAL YIELD

Direction: Calculate the percent yield and theoretical yield of the reaction. Answer it
systematically.
1. A reaction with a calculated yield of 7.25 g produce 5.45 g of product. What is the percent
yield for this reaction?

2. 7.5 g of iron Fe reacts completely according to the following reaction:

2Fe+ 3O2 2Fe2O3
If 17.46g of Fe2O3 are produced, what is the percent yield and theoretical yield of this
reaction?
3. 97.4g of chlorine reacts completely according to the following reaction:
P4+ 6Cl2 4PCl3
If 117g of PCl3 is produced, what is the theoretical and percent yield of the reaction?
IV. EVALUATION
Multiple Choice
A. Direction: choose the correct answer. Write your answer on the space provided before
each number.

For nos. 1-6: Consider the following reaction:

C4H6+ 2Cl2 C4H6Cl4
C4H6 has 3.8 mol and Cl has 2.53 mol. The mass of the product is 213 g. (Atomic
mass: C= 12.01g, H= 1.008 g, Cl= 35.45 g)
_______1. How many moles of C4H6 will react with 2.53 mol of Cl2?
a. 1.265 moles b. 2.561 moles c. 1.256 moles d. 2.651 moles
_______2. How many moles of Cl2 will react with 3.8 mol of C4H6?
a. 4.6 moles b. 7.2 moles c. 7.6 moles d. 5.3 moles
_______3. Which of it is the limiting reactant?
a. C4H6 b. Cl2 c. C4H6Cl4 d. C4H6+ 2Cl2
_______4. Which of it is the excess reactant?
a. C4H6 b. Cl2 c. C4H6Cl4 d. C4H6+ 2Cl2
_______5. What is the greatest amount of NH4Cl can be made (in moles)?
a. 4.6 mol b. 7.6 mol c. 1.265 mol d. 1.31 mol
_______6. How many moles are left over?
a. 2.535 mol b. 1.31 mol c. 1.252 mol d. 2.53 mol
_______7. What is the theoretical yield of the reaction?
 a. 247.80 g b. 147.80g c. 214. 90g d. 113.90 g
_______8. What is the percent yield of the reaction?
a. 85. 95 % b. 53.95% c. 85.96 % d. 53. 96%
For nos. 9-17. Consider the following reaction:
2KCl+ 3O2 2KClO3
KCl is 28g and O2 is 54g. The mass of the product is 50 g (Atomic Mass: K= 39.098g, O=
15.999g, Cl= 35.45g)
_______9. What is the conversion of 28g KCl to moles?
a. 1.13mol b. 0.36 mol c. 1.69 mol 0.54mol
_______8. What is the conversion of 54g O2 to moles?
a. 1.13mol b. 0.36 mol c. 1.69 mol d. 0.54mol
______10. How many moles of KCl will react with 54g of O2?
a. 1.13mol b. 0.36 mol c. 1.69 mol d. 0.54mol
______11. How many moles of O2 will react with 28g of KCl?
a. 1.13mol b. 0.36 mol c. 1.69 mol d. 0.54mol
______12. Which of it is the limiting reactant?
a. KCl b. O2 c. KClO3 d. KCl + O2
______13. Which of it is the excess reactant?
a. KCl b. O2 c. KClO3 d. KCl+ O2
______14. What is the greatest amount of NH4Cl can be made (in grams)?
a. 66.17 g b. 122.545 g c. 47.997 g d. 36.80 g
______15. How many grams are left over?
a. 66.17 g b. 122.545 g c. 47.997 g d. 36.80 g
______16. What is the theoretical yield of the reaction?
a. 66.17 g b. 122.545 g c. 47.997 g d. 36.80 g
______ 17 What is the percent yield of the reaction?
a. 75.56% b. 56.75% c. 55.67% d. 57.65%
b. Direction: Explain which of the following is excess and limiting reactant based on the
problem
18-20. Juneell is going to make a ham sandwich, each ham sandwich should have 2 slices
of bread and a piece of ham, you have 26 pieces of bread and 13 pieces of ham. Which of
the two materials is the limiting and excess reactant? Explain your answer
20-25. Jen is going to change the tires of some cars each car should have has 4 tires.
there are 24 car and 100 tires. Which of the two materials is the limiting and excess
reactant? Explain your answer.

V. ASSIGNMENTS
For your assignment make your own equation and problem in limiting and excess reactant.
Solve and explain your answer on why you said that it is the limiting and the excess reactant.
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Dewitt, Tyler (2015), Introduction to limiting and excess reactant

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZOVR8EMwRU&t=28s

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