Question

WHAT WILL BE THE BALANCE CHEMICAL FORMULA FOR THIS QOUESTION


ammonia is produced by sythesizing nitrogen and hydrogen gas. if i have 2 mols of nitrogen gas and 5 mols of hydrogen gas, which reagent will run out first??

Answer 1

I balanced the equation and showed you the long way of doing it before. Here it is again.
http://www.jiskha.com/display.cgi?id=1289515206

The short way (but I think harder to understand) follows:
N2 + 3H2 ==> 2NH3
2.....5

2 moles N2*(3moles H2/1 mole N2) = 6 moles H2. Do you have 6 moles H2. No, therefore, N2 (not H2) must be the limiting reagent. You can check it this way.
5 moles H2 x (1 mole N2/3 moles H2) = 1.667 moles N2. Do you have that much N2? Yes, therefore, N2 (not H2) is the limiting reagent.
Why do I like the other way.
1. I think it's easier to understand.
2. You don't really do any fewer calculations. You MUST do one, then I always feel I must do the second one to check myself so I end up doing two no matter which way I go; it really isn't any shorter for me.
Now you have both ways. Take you pick.
Good luck.
5 moles N2