How do you find the limiting reagent??

1 Answer
Mar 28, 2018

The limiting reagent is the reactant that decides how much product will be formed.
Since a chemical reaction requires all of its reactants to proceed, after one runs out, the reaction also stops and is thus 'limited'. So ask yourself which will run out first and that will be the limiting reagent

For example take the reaction given below:
H_2 and O_2 to form water

We know it follows
2H_2+O_2=>2H_2O

So now, if we had a hundred moles of H_2 and only five moles of O_2 then what would be the limiting reagent? It would be Oxygen because Oxygen will run out first and hence 'limit' the reaction

Hope you understood.