1. The Balanced Chemical Equation:
The reaction between hydrogen gas (H₂) and oxygen gas (O₂) to produce steam (H₂O) is:
2 H₂ (g) + O₂ (g) → 2 H₂O (g)
2. Determining the Limiting Reactant:
* Calculate the moles of water that can be produced from each reactant:
* Hydrogen: 4.15 mol H₂ * (2 mol H₂O / 2 mol H₂) = 4.15 mol H₂O
* Oxygen: 7.13 mol O₂ * (2 mol H₂O / 1 mol O₂) = 14.26 mol H₂O
* The limiting reactant is the one that produces the least amount of product. In this case, hydrogen is the limiting reactant.
3. The Balanced Equation with the Limiting Reactant:
Since hydrogen is the limiting reactant, the balanced equation reflects the maximum amount of water that can be produced from the available hydrogen:
2 H₂ (g) + O₂ (g) → 2 H₂O (g)
Important Note: The oxygen is in excess. Even though you started with 7.13 mol of oxygen, only a portion of it will react to consume all the hydrogen.
