Aluminum hydroxide reacts with sulfuric acid as follows: 2 Al1OH231s2 + 3 H2SO41aq2¡Al21SO4231aq2 + 6 H2O1l2 How many moles of Al21SO423 can form under these conditions?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Identify the balanced chemical equation. In this case, it is: 2 Al(OH)3 (s) + 3 H2SO4 (aq) → 2 Al(SO4)3 (aq) + 6 H2O (l)
2. Step 2: Identify the limiting reactant. The limiting reactant is the reactant that is completely consumed in the reaction and determines the maximum amount of product that can be formed. In this problem, we are not given the amounts of the reactants, so we cannot determine the limiting reactant.
3. Step 3: Use the stoichiometry of the reaction to determine the amount of Al(SO4)3 that can be formed. According to the balanced chemical equation, 2 moles of Al(OH)3 react with 3 moles of H2SO4 to form 2 moles of Al(SO4)3. Therefore, the ratio of Al(OH)3 to Al(SO4)3 is 1:1.
4. Step 4: If the amount of Al(OH)3 is known, multiply it by the stoichiometric ratio to find the amount of Al(SO4)3 that can be formed. If the amount of H2SO4 is known, divide it by the stoichiometric ratio to find the amount of Al(SO4)3 that can be formed.
5. Step 5: The answer to the problem is the amount of Al(SO4)3 that can be formed, which is determined by the amount of the limiting reactant and the stoichiometry of the reaction.

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 amount of substances consumed and produced in a reaction based on balanced chemical equations. Understanding stoichiometry is essential for determining how many moles of a product can be formed from given amounts of reactants.

Balanced Chemical Equation

A balanced chemical equation represents a chemical reaction where the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides of the equation. This balance ensures the law of conservation of mass is upheld. In the provided reaction, the coefficients indicate the molar ratios of reactants and products, which are crucial for stoichiometric calculations.

Mole Concept

The mole concept is a fundamental principle in chemistry that defines the amount of substance. One mole corresponds to 6.022 x 10²³ entities (atoms, molecules, etc.). This concept is vital for converting between grams and moles, allowing chemists to quantify reactants and products in a reaction, facilitating calculations like those needed to determine the moles of aluminum sulfate produced.