Question

How do you find the limiting reactant if 2.50 mol copper and 5.50 mol silver nitrate react by single displacement?

Answer 1

The limiting reagent is Copper (Cu).

Explanation:

• To identify the limiting reactant., first balance the reaction.

The balanced equation is:

                      Cu + 2AgNO3 -----> Cu(NO3)2 + 2Ag

• To find the limiting reactant, take the amount of initial substance and find the number of moles of one of the products. The reactant that gives a product with the least number of moles, is the limiting reactant

                       $5.50 mol Cu \times (\frac{1.00 mol Cu}{2.00 mol AgNO3} )$ = 2.75 mol Cu.

Since there are only  2.50 mol Cu, copper is the limiting reactant, because, with that quantity of copper, only  2.50 mol AgNO3 will be reacted.