Stoichiometry – Class Notes
1. Introduction to Stoichiometry
Stoichiometry is the part of chemistry that deals with the calculation of the quantities of
reactants and products involved in chemical reactions. It is based on the principle of
conservation of mass, where the mass of the reactants equals the mass of the products.
Key Concepts:
• Moles: The basic unit used to count atoms, molecules, or formula units.
• Molar Mass: The mass of one mole of a substance.
• Balanced Chemical Equation: Shows the relationship between the amounts of
reactants and products.
2. The Mole Concept
The mole is a fundamental concept in chemistry that allows chemists to count particles by
weighing them.
• 1 mole of any substance contains 6.022 × 10²³ particles (Avogadro’s number).
• Molar Mass (M): The mass of one mole of a substance (in grams per mole).
Molar mass=Mass of substance (g)÷Moles of substance (mol)\text{Molar mass} =
\text{Mass of substance (g)} \div \text{Moles of substance (mol)}Molar mass=Mass of
substance (g)÷Moles of substance (mol)
3. Balanced Chemical Equations
A balanced chemical equation provides the relationship between the quantities of
reactants and products in a chemical reaction.
Example: Combustion of Methane
CH4+2O2→CO2+2H2OCH_4 + 2O_2 \rightarrow CO_2 + 2H_2OCH4 +2O2 →CO2 +2H2 O
This equation shows that 1 mole of methane reacts with 2 moles of oxygen to produce 1
mole of carbon dioxide and 2 moles of water.
• The coefficients of the equation represent the molar ratios between reactants and
products.
• This allows chemists to predict the amount of products formed from a given amount
of reactants.
4. Mole-to-Mole Relationships
Using the coefficients from the balanced chemical equation, we can calculate how many
moles of one substance react to form a certain number of moles of another substance.
Example: For the reaction:
2H2+O2→2H2O2H_2 + O_2 \rightarrow 2H_2O2H2 +O2 →2H2 O
• 2 moles of hydrogen gas react with 1 mole of oxygen to form 2 moles of water.
• If you have 6 moles of hydrogen, you would need 3 moles of oxygen to react
completely.
5. Mass-to-Mass Relationships
Stoichiometry allows us to calculate the mass of products from the mass of reactants
using the concept of moles.
Steps to Solve Mass-to-Mass Problems:
1. Convert mass of the given substance to moles.
Moles=MassMolar mass\text{Moles} = \frac{\text{Mass}}{\text{Molar
mass}}Moles=Molar massMass
2. Use the mole ratio from the balanced equation.
3. Convert moles of the desired substance to mass.
Mass=Moles×Molar mass\text{Mass} = \text{Moles} \times \text{Molar
mass}Mass=Moles×Molar mass
Example:
Given:
• 10.0 g of NaOH reacts with H₂SO₄ to form Na₂SO₄ and H₂O.
• Find the mass of Na₂SO₄ formed.
Step-by-Step:
1. Moles of NaOH = 10.0 g40.0 g/mol=0.25 mol\frac{10.0\ g}{40.0\ g/mol} =
0.25\ mol40.0 g/mol10.0 g =0.25 mol
2. Mole ratio from the equation:
2NaOH+H2SO4→Na2SO4+2H2O2\text{NaOH} + H_2SO_4 \rightarrow Na_2SO_4 +
2H_2O2NaOH+H2 SO4 →Na2 SO4 +2H2 O
Mole ratio of NaOH to Na2SO4=2:1\text{Mole ratio of NaOH to Na}_2SO_4 = 2:1 Mole ratio
of NaOH to Na2 SO4 =2:1
3. Moles of Na₂SO₄ = 0.25 mol×1 mol2 mol=0.125 mol0.25\ mol \times
\frac{1\ mol}{2\ mol} = 0.125\ mol0.25 mol×2 mol1 mol =0.125 mol
4. Mass of Na₂SO₄ = 0.125 mol×142.0 g/mol=17.75 g0.125\ mol \times 142.0\ g/mol
= 17.75\ g0.125 mol×142.0 g/mol=17.75 g
6. Limiting Reactant and Excess Reactant
In any chemical reaction, the limiting reactant is the one that runs out first, limiting the
amount of product formed. The excess reactant is present in excess and does not
completely react.
Steps to find the limiting reactant:
1. Calculate the moles of each reactant.
2. Use the mole ratio from the balanced equation to determine which reactant will run
out first.
Example:
Given:
• 4 moles of H₂ and 3 moles of O₂.
• Reaction: 2H2+O2→2H2O2H_2 + O_2 \rightarrow 2H_2O2H2 +O2 →2H2 O
Step-by-Step:
• For 4 moles of H₂, you would need 2 moles of O₂.
• Since you have 3 moles of O₂, O₂ is in excess and H₂ is the limiting reactant.
7. Theoretical Yield, Actual Yield, and Percent Yield
• Theoretical Yield: The maximum amount of product that can be formed from the
given reactants.
• Actual Yield: The amount of product actually obtained from the reaction.
• Percent Yield: The efficiency of a reaction, calculated as:
Percent Yield=Actual YieldTheoretical Yield×100\text{Percent Yield} = \frac{\text{Actual
Yield}}{\text{Theoretical Yield}} \times 100Percent Yield=Theoretical YieldActual Yield
×100
8. Mole-to-Volume Relationships (For Gases)
At standard temperature and pressure (STP), one mole of any ideal gas occupies a volume
of 22.4 L.
• Moles to volume conversion:
Volume=Moles×22.4 L/mol(at STP)\text{Volume} = \text{Moles} \times 22.4\ L/mol
\quad \text{(at STP)}Volume=Moles×22.4 L/mol(at STP)
9. Empirical and Molecular Formulas
• Empirical Formula: The simplest whole-number ratio of elements in a compound.
• Molecular Formula: The actual number of atoms of each element in a molecule.
Steps to Determine Empirical Formula:
1. Convert mass (or percent) of each element to moles.
2. Divide all by the smallest number of moles.
3. Round to the nearest whole number.
10. Solution Stoichiometry
Stoichiometry can be applied to reactions in solutions, where the concentrations of
reactants are given in molarity (moles per liter).
Steps:
1. Convert volume to moles (using molarity).
2. Use mole ratios from the balanced equation.
3. Convert moles to mass or volume as needed.
11. Stoichiometric Calculations in Acid-Base Reactions
In acid-base reactions, the stoichiometry involves the neutralization between an acid and a
base.
Example:
• In the reaction of NaOH and HCl:
NaOH+HCl→NaCl+H2ONaOH + HCl \rightarrow NaCl + H_2ONaOH+HCl→NaCl+H2 O
The mole ratio of NaOH to HCl is 1:1.
12. Titration
Titration is a technique used to determine the concentration of an unknown solution by
reacting it with a solution of known concentration.
• Titrant: The solution of known concentration.
• Analyte: The solution of unknown concentration.
Steps in Titration:
1. Measure the volume of the analyte.
2. Add the titrant until the endpoint is reached (often indicated by a color change).
13. Stoichiometry in Real-Life Applications
Stoichiometry is essential in various industries, such as:
• Pharmaceuticals: Ensuring the right amount of ingredients are mixed to create
drugs.
• Environmental Chemistry: Controlling pollutants in air and water.
• Agriculture: Calculating the amount of fertilizers required for crops.
