You will see the word "excess" used in this section and in the problems.

It is used several
different ways:
a) "compound A reacts with an excess of compound B" - In this case mentally set compound B
aside for the moment. !ince it is "in excess" this means there is more than enou"h of it. !ome
other compound #maybe A) will run out first.
b) "$% "rams of A and $% "rams of B react. &hich is in excess'" &hat we will do below is find
out which substance runs out first #called the limitin" rea"ent). (bviously #I hope) the other
compound is seen to be in excess.
c) "after $% "m. of A and $% "m. of B react how much of the excess compound remains'" )o
answer this problem we would subtract the limitin" rea"ent amount from the excess amount.
&hat is the *imitin" +ea"ent'
It is simply the substance in a chemical reaction that runs out first. It seems to simple but it does
cause people problems. *et,s try a simple example.
+eactant A is a test tube. I have $% of them.
+eactant B is a stopper. I have -% of them.
.roduct / is a stoppered test tube.
)he reaction is: A 0 B ---1 /
or: test tube plus stopper "ives stoppered test tube.
!o now we let them "react." )he first stopper "oes in the second "oes in and so on. !tep by step
we use up stoppers and test tubes #the amounts "o down) and ma2e stoppered test tubes #the
amount "oes up).
!uddently we run out of one of the "reactants." &hich one' )hat,s ri"ht. &e run out of test tubes
first. !eems obvious doesn,t it' &e had $% test tubes but we had -% stoppers. !o when the test
tubes are used up we have 3% stoppers sittin" there unused. And we also have $% test tubes
with stoppers firmly inserted.
!o which "reactant" is limitin" and which is in excess'
An 4xercise in *imitin" +ea"ent 5ere is what you 2now
A cup of coffee costs 6% cents.
In your possession you have 3%% "rams each:
nic2els #6-cent pieces)
dimes #3%-cent) pieces
7uarters #$6-cent pieces)
You 2now how much a sin"le coin wei"hs:
one nic2el 8 6.%% "
one dime 8 $.$$ "
one 7uarter 8 6.66 "
5ow many cups of coffee can you buy' )he point to this type of problem is that it models what
you have to do in chemistry. 5ow do you fi"ure out 5(& 9A:Y coins there are' )hat,s ri"ht. You
divide the total wei"ht by the wei"ht per one coin. You counted how many by wei"hin".
/hemistry does the same thin". I divide my total mass by the wei"ht of one unit. In the example it
is a coin in chemistry it is the mole.
*imitin" +ea"ent .roblems
.roblem ;3: 5ere,s a nice limitin" rea"ent problem we will use for discussion. /onsider the
reaction:
$ Al 0 - I$ ------1 $ AlI-
<etermine the limitin" rea"ent and the theoretical yield of the product if one starts with:
a) 3.$% mol Al and $.=% mol iodine.
b) 3.$% " Al and $.=% " iodine
c) 5ow many "rams of Al are left over in part b'
!olution for part a: we already have moles as the unit so we use those numbers directly.
5ere is how to find out the limitin" rea"ent: ta2e the moles of each substance and divide it by the
coefficient of the balanced e7uation. )he substance that has the smallest answer is the limitin"
rea"ent.
*et,s say that a"ain:
to find the limitin" rea"ent ta2e the moles of each substance and divide it by the coefficient of
the balanced e7uation. )he substance that has the smallest answer is the limitin" rea"ent.
You,re "oin" to need that techni7ue so remember it.
>or aluminum: 3.$% ? $ 8 %.@%
>or iodine: $.=% ? - 8 %.A%
)he lowest number indicates the limitin" rea"ent. Aluminum will run out first in part a.
&hy' 3.$%?$ means there are %.@% ""roupin"s" of $ and $.=%?- means there are %.A% ""roupin"s"
of -. If they ran out at the same time we,d need one ""roupin"" of each. !ince there is less of the
""roupin" of $" it will run out first.
If you,re not sure what I Bust said that,s (C. )he techni7ue wor2s so remember it and use it.
)he second part of the 7uestion "theoretical yield" depends on findin" out the limitin" rea"ent.
(nce we do that it becomes a stoichiometric calculation.
Al and AlI- stand in a one-to-one molar relationship so 3.$% mol of Al produces 3.$% mol of AlI-.
:otice that the amount of I$ does not play a role since it is in excess.
!olution for part b: since we have "rams we must first convert to moles. )he we solve Bust as we
did in part a Bust above.
>or the mole calculation:
aluminum is 3.$% " ? $@.DA " molE3 8 %.%==FF mol
iodine is $.= " ? $6-.A " molE3 8 %.%%D=6@ mol
)o determine the limitin" rea"ent:
aluminum is %.%==FF ? $ 8 %.%$$-A
iodine is %.%%D=6@ ? - 8 %.%%-36$
)he lower number is iodine so we have identified the limitin" rea"ent.
>inally we have to do a calculation and it will involve the iodine :() the aluminum.
I$ and AlI- stand in a three-to-two molar relationship so %.%%D=6@ mol of I$ produces %.%%@-%=
mol of AlI-. A"ain notice that the amount of Al does not play a role since it is in excess.
>rom here fi"ure out the "rams of AlI- and you have your answer.
!olution for part c: since we have mole we calculate directly and then convert to "rams.
Al and I$ stand in a two-to-three molar relationship so %.%%D=6@ mol of I$ uses %.%%@-%= mol of
Al.
/onvert this aluminum amount to "rams and subtract it from 3.$% " and that,s the answer.
.roblem ;$: 36.%% " aluminum sulfide and 3%.%% " water react until the limitin" rea"ent is used
up. 5ere is the balanced e7uation for the reaction:
Al$!- 0 @ 5$( ---1 $Al#(5)- 0 - 5$!
#A) &hich is the limitin" rea"ent'
#B) &hat is the maximum mass of 5$! which can be formed from these rea"ents'
#/) 5ow much excess rea"ent remains after the reaction is complete'
)he 2ey to this problem is the limitin" rea"ent part A. (nce you 2now that part B becomes "5ow
much 5$! can be made from the limitin" rea"ent'" .art / becomes two connected 7uestions:
first "5ow much Al$!- is used up when reactin" with the limitin" rea"ent'" then second "&hat is
36.%% minus the amount in the first part'"
9a2e sure you note that second part. )he calculation "ives you the answer to "5ow much
reacted'" but the 7uestion is "5ow much remained'" *ots of students for"et to do the second part
#the 36 minus part) and so "et "raded down.
5ere,s the solution.
.roblem ;-: If there is -6.% "rams of /@53% and =6.% "rams of ($ how many "rams of the
excess rea"ent will remain after the reaction ceases'
@ /@53% 0 3F ($ ---1 3$ /($ 0 3% 5$(
!olution:
3) /onvert each substance to moles:
/@53%: -6.% " ? A$.3=6 "?mol 8 %.=$@ mol
($: =6.% " ? -3.DDA "?mol 8 3.=%@ mol
$) <etermine the limitin" rea"ent:
/@53%: %.=$@ mol ? @ 8 %.%F3
($: 3.=%@ mol ? 3F 8 %.%A-
/@53% is the limitin" rea"ent.
-) <etermine how many moles of the excess rea"ent is used up when the limitin" rea"ent is fully
consumed:
the mole ratio we desire is @?3F #/@53% to ($)
@?3F e7uals %.=$@?x
x 8 3.$%F mol of ($ consumed
=) <etermine "rams of ($ remainin":
3.=%@ mol minus 3.$%F mol 8 %.3DD mol of ($ remainin"
%.3DD mol times -3.DDA "?mol 8 @.-F " remainin"
.roblem ;=: Based on the balanced e7uation:
/=5A 0 @($ ---1 =/($ 0 =5$(
calculate the number of excess rea"ent units remainin" when $A /=5A molecules and $$A ($
molecules react'
!olution:
+emember numbers are Bust li2e moles so treatin" the $A and $$A as moles is perfectly
acceptable.
3) <etermine the limitin" rea"ent:
butane: $A?3 8 $A
oxy"en: $$A ? @ 8 -A
Butane is the limitin" rea"ent.
$) <etermine how much oxy"en reacts with $A /=5A molecules:
the butane:oxy"en molar ratio is 3:@
$A x @ 8 3@A oxy"en molecules react
-) <etermine excess oxy"en:
$$A - 3@A 8 @%
5ere,s aother way to consider this:
)he -A above means that there are -A ""roupin"s" of six oxy"en molecules.
-A minus $A 8 3% oxy"en ""roupin"s" remain after the butane is used up
3% x @ 8 @%