Reacting Hydrogen with Oxygen to Form Water: A Chemical Reaction Analysis

Chemical reactions form the backbone of various industrial and academic processes, including the familiar synthesis of water (H2O) from hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2). This document will analyze a specific scenario involving the production of water from 4.6 moles of hydrogen and 3.1 moles of oxygen, using the balanced chemical equation for the reaction.

Chemical Equation and Stoichiometry

The balanced chemical equation for the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to form water is:

2H2 O2 → 2H2O

From this equation, we can infer that 2 moles of hydrogen react with 1 mole of oxygen to produce 2 moles of water.

Determining Reactant and Product Amounts

1. Calculation of Water Production from Hydrogen

Let's calculate the maximum amount of water that can be produced from 4.6 moles of hydrogen:

Chemical equation considerations

2 moles of H2 produce 2 moles of H2O. Therefore:

4.6 moles of H2 would produce:

4.6 moles of H2 × (2 moles of H2O / 2 moles of H2) 4.6 moles of H2O

2. Calculation of Water Production from Oxygen

Next, let's determine how much water can be produced from 3.1 moles of oxygen:

Chemical equation considerations

1 mole of O2 produces 2 moles of H2O. Therefore:

3.1 moles of O2 would produce:

3.1 moles of O2 × (2 moles of H2O / 1 mole of O2) 6.2 moles of H2O

Identifying the Limiting Reactant

Comparing the two values, we see that hydrogen (4.6 moles) can produce 4.6 moles of water, while oxygen (3.1 moles) can produce 6.2 moles of water. Therefore, hydrogen is the limiting reactant since it limits the amount of water that can be produced.

Calculating Remaining Reactants

1. Production of Water

The limiting reactant determines the actual amount of water produced, which is 4.6 moles.

2. Remaining Hydrogen

The initial amount of hydrogen is fully consumed in the reaction:

Remaining H2 4.6 moles - 4.6 moles 0 moles

3. Remaining Oxygen

Using the molar ratio from the balanced equation, 4.6 moles of hydrogen require 2.3 moles of oxygen for complete reaction:

Moles of O2 used 4.6 moles of H2 × (1 mole of O2 / 2 moles of H2) 2.3 moles of O2

Remaining O2 3.1 moles - 2.3 moles 0.8 moles

Final Results

Moles of water produced: 4.6 moles Moles of hydrogen remaining: 0 moles Moles of oxygen remaining: 0.8 moles

Understanding the limiting reactant and the amount of products and reactants is crucial in chemistry, ensuring accurate predictions and outcomes in various applications, from laboratory experiments to industrial scale production.