The limiting reactant is copper chloride. It will produce fewer moles of the products, hence, limits the amount of product formed.
Further Explanation:
The balanced chemical equation for the given reaction is:
[tex]2 \ Al \ + \ 3 \ CuCl_{2} \ --> 2 \ AlCl_{3} \ + \ 3 \ Cu[/tex]
From the stoichiometric ratios the amount of products formed may be calculated. By comparing the amount of product formed by the given reactants, the limiting reactant can be determined. It will be the reactant that produces fewer moles of the products.
Using the equation below, the amount of products formed by 4.5 moles of aluminum may be obtained:
[tex]moles \ AlCl_{3} \ formed \ = 4.5 \ mol \ Al \ (\frac{2 \ mol \ AlCl_{3}}{2 \ mol \ Al})\\\boxed {moles \ AlCl_{3} \ formed \ = 4.5 \ mol}[/tex]
To get the amount of products formed by 6.5 moles of copper chloride,
[tex]moles \ of \ AlCl_{3} \ formed \ = 6.5 \ mol \ CuCl_{2} (\frac{2 \ mol \ AlCl_{3}}{3 \ mol \ CuCl_{2}})\\\\\boxed {moles \ of \ AlCl_{3} \ formed \ = 4.33 \ mol}[/tex]
Since fewer moles of aluminum chloride is produced by 6.5 moles of copper chloride, then copper chloride is the limiting reactant and aluminum is the excess reactant.
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Keywords: limiting reactant, excess reactant
