4.50 grams of sodium phosphate is mixed with 3.75 grams of barium nitrate. How many grams of barium phosphate can be produced?

Answer 1

This is a limiting reagent (LR) problem. I work these the long way because I think this way is easier to explain.
Step 1. Write and balance the equation.
2Na3PO4 + 3Ba(NO3)2 ==> Ba3(PO4)2 + 6NaNO3

Step 2. Convert grams to mols.
mols Na3PO4 = grams/molar mass = ?
mols Ba(NO3)2 = grams/molar mass = ?

Step 3. Convert each mol of reactant from step 2 to mols of the product using the coefficients in the balanced equation.
a. mols Ba3(PO4)2 from Na3PO4 = mols Na3PO4 from step 2 x (1 mol Ba3(PO4)2/2 mols Na3PO4) = ?
b. mols Ba3(PO4)2 from Ba(NO3)2 = mols Ba(NO3)2 x (1 mol Ba3(PO4)2/3 mol Ba(NO3)2) = ?
c. It is likely that the value of mols Ba3(PO4)2 from a and b will not agree; the correct value in limiting reagent problems is ALWAYS the smaller value.

Step 4. Using the smaller value, convert mols Ba3(PO4)2 to grams.
g = mols x molar mass.

Answer 2

1.64 grams