Answer to Question #84382 in General Chemistry for John

Question

What is the balanced chemical equation of 55ml of 0.150M Copper (II)Sulfate and 48ml of .250M Sodium Hydroxide?

What is the limiting and excess reactants?

Answer 1

Balanced chemical equation:

CuSO₄(aq) + 2NaOH(aq) = Cu(OH)₂(s) + Na₂SO₄

n = c*V

n(CuSO₄) = 0.150 mol/L *0.055 L = 0.00825 mol

n(NaOH) = 0.250 mol/L * 0.048 L = 0.012 mol

According to equation mole ratio n(CuSO₄): n(NaOH) = 1:2. Amount os substance of NaOH should be twice the amount of CuSO₄.

Amount of NaoH should be: n(NaOH) = 2*n(CuSO₄) = 2*0.00825 = 0.0165 mol.

But we have n(NaOH) = 0.012 mol.

0.012 mol < 0.0165 mol, then NaOH is the limiting reactant. CuSO₄ is the excess reactant.