A hydrogen-filled balloon is ignited and 3 g of hydrogen is reacted with 24 g of oxygen. How many grams of water vapor form? (Assume that water vapor is the only product.)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the balanced chemical equation for the reaction: \( 2\text{H}_2 + \text{O}_2 \rightarrow 2\text{H}_2\text{O} \).
2. Calculate the moles of hydrogen: Use the molar mass of hydrogen (\(2\text{ g/mol}\)) to convert 3 g of hydrogen to moles.
3. Calculate the moles of oxygen: Use the molar mass of oxygen (\(32\text{ g/mol}\)) to convert 24 g of oxygen to moles.
4. Determine the limiting reactant: Compare the mole ratio from the balanced equation to the moles calculated to find which reactant is limiting.
5. Calculate the mass of water produced: Use the moles of the limiting reactant and the balanced equation to find the moles of water produced, then convert to grams using the molar mass of water (\(18\text{ g/mol}\)).

Key Concepts

Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry is the branch of chemistry that deals with the quantitative relationships between the reactants and products in a chemical reaction. It allows us to calculate the amounts of substances consumed and produced in a reaction based on balanced chemical equations. In this case, it helps determine how much water vapor is produced from the given amounts of hydrogen and oxygen.

Balanced Chemical Equation

A balanced chemical equation represents a chemical reaction with equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides of the equation. For the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen to form water, the balanced equation is 2H₂ + O₂ → 2H₂O. This equation indicates that two moles of hydrogen react with one mole of oxygen to produce two moles of water, which is essential for stoichiometric calculations.

Molar Mass

Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a substance, typically expressed in grams per mole (g/mol). It is crucial for converting between grams and moles in stoichiometric calculations. For example, the molar mass of water (H₂O) is approximately 18 g/mol, which will be used to convert the amount of water produced from moles to grams in the given reaction.