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ammonia gas reacts with copper (ii) oxide at high temperatures to produce elemental nitrogen, copper metal, and water vapor. Assume that 36.2g ammonia reacts with 180.8 g copper ii oxide.

(balanced equation: 2 NH4 (ammonium) (g) + 4 CuO (copper ii oxide) ==> N2 (nitrogen gas) (g) + 4 Cu (copper metal) (s) + 4 H2O (water vapor) (g)

Which species is the limiting reagent?

Please justify your answer! thank you!

2 answers

First off, ammonia is NH3 and not NH4. Balance the equation.
Convert 36.2 g NH3 to moles. moles = grams/molar mass.
Convert 180.8 g CuO to moles the same way.

Using the coefficients in the balanced equation, convert mols NH3 to mole Cu.
Same process, convert moles CuO to moles Cu.
In limiting reagent problems the smaller value is ALWAYS the correct one and the reactant producing that value is the limiting reagent.
NH4