A limiting reagent is the reactant that is completely used up in a chemical reaction. It determines the maximum amount of product that can be formed in the reaction.
To identify the limiting reagent, you must first determine the mole ratio between the reactants. Then, calculate the number of moles of each reactant present. The reactant with the smaller number of moles is the limiting reagent.
Identifying the limiting reagent is important because it allows you to calculate the maximum amount of product that can be formed in a reaction. It also helps in determining the amount of excess reactant that is present and can help in optimizing the reaction conditions.
Yes, the limiting reagent can change in a reaction if the reactants are not in the correct ratio. In this case, the reactant that was previously in excess may become the limiting reagent.
The limiting reagent directly affects the yield of a reaction. The amount of product that can be formed is limited by the amount of limiting reagent present. If there is not enough of the limiting reagent, the yield will be lower than expected.