Aluminum hydroxide reacts with sulfuric acid as follows: 2 Al1OH231s2 + 3 H2SO41aq2¡Al21SO4231aq2 + 6 H2O1l2 How many moles of the excess reactant remain after the completion of the reaction?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the balanced chemical equation: \(2 \text{Al(OH)}_3 (s) + 3 \text{H}_2\text{SO}_4 (aq) \rightarrow \text{Al}_2(\text{SO}_4)_3 (aq) + 6 \text{H}_2\text{O} (l)\).
2. Determine the initial moles of each reactant. You will need the initial masses or concentrations and volumes to calculate this.
3. Use stoichiometry to find the limiting reactant by comparing the mole ratio of the reactants to the coefficients in the balanced equation.
4. Calculate the moles of the excess reactant that reacted using the stoichiometry of the reaction.
5. Subtract the moles of the excess reactant that reacted from the initial moles to find the moles remaining after the reaction.

Key Concepts

Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry is the calculation of reactants and products in chemical reactions based on the balanced chemical equation. It allows us to determine the proportions of substances involved in a reaction, which is essential for identifying limiting and excess reactants. In this case, understanding the stoichiometric coefficients from the balanced equation helps in calculating how many moles of each reactant are consumed and how many remain.

Limiting Reactant

The limiting reactant is the substance that is completely consumed first in a chemical reaction, thus determining the maximum amount of product that can be formed. Identifying the limiting reactant is crucial because it dictates how much of the excess reactant will remain after the reaction has gone to completion. In this reaction, we need to compare the initial amounts of aluminum hydroxide and sulfuric acid to find which one limits the reaction.

Excess Reactant

The excess reactant is the substance that remains after the reaction has completed because it was not completely consumed. Understanding the concept of excess reactants is important for calculating how much of a reactant is left over after the reaction, which can be determined by subtracting the amount used from the initial amount. This is particularly relevant in this question, where we need to find out how many moles of the excess reactant are left after the reaction between aluminum hydroxide and sulfuric acid.