Help determining limited reactant according to the unbalanced equation CaO + C = CaC2 + CO2..?

Determine the limiting reactant when 50.0 g of CaO are reacted with 50.0 g of C according to the unbalanced equation


CaO + C = CaC2 + CO2





a) CaO


b) C


c) CaC2


d) CO2


e) no limiting reactant





Thanks!

Help determining limited reactant according to the unbalanced equation CaO + C = CaC2 + CO2..?
To find the limiting reactant, find the number of moles of each reactant. Then, if there is a coefficient in front of the reactant, divide the moles by the coefficient. First, though, you need to set up a balanced equation:





2CaO + 4C –––––%26gt; 2CaC2 + CO2








50.0g CaO (1 mol CaO / 56.1g CaO) = 0.891 moles CaO





0.891 / 2 = 0.4455





50.0g C(1 mol C / 12g C) = 4.167 mol C





4.167 / 4 = 1.041





The smallest of these numbers is the limiting reactant. Therefore, since 0.4455 is smaller than 1.041, We know that the CaO is the limiting reactant.





Hope this helps!
Reply:Balance the equation..





2CaO + 5C = 2CaC2 + CO2





Use stoichiometry.





CaO:





50.0g/56.1g * 2mol CaC2/2mol CaO * 64.1g CaC2/1mol = 57.1g CaC2





C:





50.0g/12.0g * 2mol CaC2/5mol C * 64.1g CaC2/1mol = 106.8g CaC2





The C is the limiting reactant.





By POE, c, d, e can not be limiting reactants given the equation, and because CaO is a compound, it will typically be the limiting reactant when an element is in the equation.