Introduction
The limiting reagent in a reaction, is the reactant that gets used up first. It's the one that determines when the reaction ends, and the one you need more of.
You can think of this in real life examples.
Imagine you have 6 puppets that need their eyes glued on.
Each puppet needs 1 pair of eye and you only have 5 pairs, how many puppets will be able to see? 5!
The limiting reagent would be the pairs of eyes because that's what runs out first.
Another example.
Lets say you have 20 puppets available, and 10 puppeteers.
Each person gets one puppet to perform with, how many puppets will be performing at once? 10!
The limiting reagent would be the number of puppeteers because that's what runs out first.
Obviously limiting reagents with chemical reactions are more complicated than this, but it's a similar concept.
Click here, or go to the page above to learn "How to Solve Limiting Reagents!"
Then you can expand your knowledge with "Using Limiting Reagents" and "Calculating Percentage Yield!"
You can think of this in real life examples.
Imagine you have 6 puppets that need their eyes glued on.
Each puppet needs 1 pair of eye and you only have 5 pairs, how many puppets will be able to see? 5!
The limiting reagent would be the pairs of eyes because that's what runs out first.
Another example.
Lets say you have 20 puppets available, and 10 puppeteers.
Each person gets one puppet to perform with, how many puppets will be performing at once? 10!
The limiting reagent would be the number of puppeteers because that's what runs out first.
Obviously limiting reagents with chemical reactions are more complicated than this, but it's a similar concept.
Click here, or go to the page above to learn "How to Solve Limiting Reagents!"
Then you can expand your knowledge with "Using Limiting Reagents" and "Calculating Percentage Yield!"