Question

4 moles of hydrogen react with 5 moles of oxygen to form water, identify the excess reagent?

Answer 1

Answer:

Excess Reagent = oxygen

Explanation:

Limiting reagent: The substance that is totally consumed when the reaction is completed.

Excess reagent: The substance left after the limiting reagent is consumed completely

The balanced chemical equation for formation of water is as follow:

$2H_{2}+O_{2}\rightarrow 2H_{2}O$

This means when 2 moles of hydrogen reacts with 1 mole of oxygen, 2 moles of water is produced.

Hence the ratio in which hydrogen and oxygen gas reacts is 2:1

Now if 2 mole hydrogen require 1 mole of oxygen ,then 4 mole hydrogen need 2 mole of oxygen.

$H_{2}:O_{2}=2:1$

or

$H_{2}:O_{2}=4:2$

Here 5 mole of oxygen is reacting but only 2 mole is required .

Oxygen is in excess.