Solutions of sodium carbonate and silver nitrate react to form solid silver carbonate and a solution of sodium nitrate. A solution containing 3.30 g of sodium carbonate is mixed with one containing 3.00 g of silver nitrate. How many grams of each of the following compounds are present after the reaction is complete?

Question

sodium carbonate?

silver nitrate?

silver carbonate?

sodium nitrate?

Answer 1

Na2CO3 + 2AgNO3 ==> 2NaNO3 + Ag2CO3

This is a limiting reagent problem. You know that because amounts are given for BOTH reactants. First you must determine the limiting reagent.
mols Na2CO3 = grams/molar mass.
mols AgNO3 = grams/molar mass.

Using the coefficients in the balanced equation, convert mols Na2CO3 to mols NaNO3.
Do the same to convert mols AgNO3 to mols NaNO3.
It is likely that the two numbers will not be the same; obviously one of them must be wrong. The correct value in limiting reagent problems is ALWAYS the smaller one and the reagent providing that value is the limiting reagent.
Now that you know the limiting reagent, use mols of that reagent and convert to mols Ag2CO3. Convert mols Ag2CO3 and mols NaNO3 to grams by g = mols x molar mass.

The limiting reagent will be zero after the rxn is over.
To determine the amount of the non-limiting reagent after the rxn, convert mols of the limiting reagent to mols of the non-limiting reagent, convert that to grams, subtract from initial grams to arrive at the amount remaining unreacted. Post your work if you get stuck.

Answer 2

Could you show me step-by-step how to find the limiting reagent? That's the part I get a little confused in.