How do you find the limiting reagent??

1 Answer
Anish M.
Mar 28, 2018

The limiting reagent is the reactant that decides how much product will be formed.
Since a chemical reaction requires all of its reactants to proceed, after one runs out, the reaction also stops and is thus 'limited'. So ask yourself which will run out first and that will be the limiting reagent

For example take the reaction given below:
#H_2# and #O_2# to form water

We know it follows
#2H_2+O_2=>2H_2O#

So now, if we had a hundred moles of #H_2# and only five moles of #O_2# then what would be the limiting reagent? It would be Oxygen because Oxygen will run out first and hence 'limit' the reaction

Hope you understood.

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