Question

What is the limiting reactant when 4 mol P4 and 4 mol S8 react.

Answer 1

Taking into account the reaction stoichiometry, P₄ will be the limiting reagent.

Reaction stoichiometry

In first place, the balanced reaction is:

8 P₄ + 3 S₈ → 8 P₄S₃

By reaction stoichiometry (that is, the relationship between the amount of reagents and products in a chemical reaction), the following amounts of moles of each compound participate in the reaction:

• P₄: 8 moles
• S₈: 3 moles
• P₄S₃: 8 moles

Limiting reagent

The limiting reagent is one that is consumed first in its entirety, determining the amount of product in the reaction. When the limiting reagent is finished, the chemical reaction will stop.

Limiting reagent in this case

To determine the limiting reagent, it is possible to use a simple rule of three as follows: if by stoichiometry 3 moles of S₈ reacts with 8 moles of P₄, 4 moles of S₈ reacts with how many moles of P₄?

$moles of P_{4} =\frac{4 moles of S_{8} x8 moles of P_{4} }{3 moles of S_{8}}$

moles of P₄= 10.667 moles

But 10.667 moles of P₄ are not available, 4 moles are available. Since you have less amount of moles than you need to react with 4 moles of S₈, P₄ will be the limiting reagent.

Learn more about the reaction stoichiometry:

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