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Chemistry Forums for Students => Undergraduate General Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Brivrybio on March 18, 2020, 07:48:06 PM

Title: Limiting and excess reactant in ca + 2 HCl
Post by: Brivrybio on March 18, 2020, 07:48:06 PM

I've never been taught stoichiometry but I understand that usually you use that in these problems
I'm trying to figure out which is the excess and which is the limiting reactants in the balanced equation of Ca + 2 HCl -> CaCl 2 + H2

And that's all the information I have , I dont have any moles or anything

I'm guessing that the hcl  is the excess and ca is the limiting but I'm not entirely sure and I'd like some advice or help .

Title: Re: Limiting and excess reactant in ca + 2 HCl
Post by: Borek on March 18, 2020, 08:19:13 PM

Quote from: Brivrybio on March 18, 2020, 07:48:06 PM

And that's all the information I have , I dont have any moles or anything

Limiting/excess reagent can be determined only when you know amounts of reacting substances.

Basically it is like nuts and bolts. You have 9 bolts and 10 nuts, you combine them, you are left with a nut. Nuts are the excess reagent, bolts are the limiting one. Doesn't make sense to ask which are limiting reagent without stating how many of each you have.