Limiting Reactant Lab

Analysis questions
1. What are the limited and excess reactants for each flask? How did you determine this?

The limited reagent was the baking soda for the flask with 1 and 2.5 grams of baking soda. For the flask with 4 grams of baking soda, and our own personal experiment, the vinegar was the limited reagent. Below is my work for finding what each limited reagent is. I found that for the flask with 1 and 2.5 grams of baking soda, this was less than the controlled variable, meaning that the baking soda was limited.

2. How is the amount of product in a reaction affected by an insufficient quantity of any of the reactants?

If a reaction has a limited quantity, it will not be able to completely finish it's reaction. When there is a limiting reaction, the end result will be heavily affected due to the limiting reactant. They results will not be accurate or precise due to the lack of true experimental values.


3. Which balloon was the largest? Explain.

The largest balloon was our personal experiment. We filled a balloon with the rest of the baking soda, which was around 10.75 grams of baking soda, with a radius of 6.37. This was the biggest, but the biggest balloon from the actual experiment was the balloon with 4 grams of baking soda, with a radius of 5.57.


4. Which balloon was the smallest? Explain.

The smallest balloon was the green balloon, the one with the least amount of baking soda. This one had 1 gram of baking soda, and reacted with the least amount of time. This had the least amount of baking soda, which meant is had the least amount of carbon dioxide in the balloon. It's radius was 2.47.


 5. Rust is produced when iron reacts with oxygen. How many grams of Fe2O3 are produced when 12.0 g of iron rusts?

4Fe(s) + 3O2(g) → 2Fe2O3(s)

It forms a total of 17.2 grams. My work is pictured above.



6. What real-life applications can this concept of limiting and excess reagents be applied to?

Limiting and excess reactants can be applied to real life because when certain items are limited, it affects the goal you are trying to attempt. For example, if your energy is limited, then the rest of your day will be affected due to the limited reactant.