Acetylene can be converted into acetic acid in 2 steps:
1. reaction of acetylene with water (in the presence of sulphuric acid, and mercuric sulphate as catalysts) to produce acetaldehyde.
2. acetaldehyde is then oxidized (with potassium dichromate for example) to produce acetic acid.
this overall reaction is given by the following equation:
Answer:
Oxygen is the limiting reactant.
Explanation:
Based on the reaction:
C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ + 12O₂ → 12CO₂ + 11H₂O
<em>1 mole of sucrose reacts with 12 moles of oxygen to produce 12 moles of CO₂ and 11 moles of H₂O.</em>
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10.0g of sucrose (Molar mass: 342.3g /mol) are:
10.0g C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ × (1mole / 342.3g) = 0.0292 moles of C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁
And moles of 10.0g of oxygen (Molar mass: 32g/mol) are:
10.0g O₂ × (1mole / 32g) = 0.3125 moles of O₂
For a complete reaction of 0.0292 moles of C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ you need (knowing 12 moles of oxygen react per mole of sucrose):
0.0292 moles of C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ × (12 moles O₂ / 1 mole C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁) = <em>0.3504 moles of O₂</em>
As you have just 0.3125 moles of O₂, <em>oxygen is the limiting reactant.</em>