Question

If you start with 512 grams of aluminum and 1147 grams of copper chloride to make aluminum chloride and copper, what is the limiting reagent? 2Al + 3CuCl -> 2AlCl3 + 3Cu

Answer 1

First you need to calculate the number of moles of aluminium and copper chloride.

number of moles = mass / molecular weight

moles of Al = 512 / 27 = 19 moles

moles of CuCl = 1147 / 99 = 11.6 moles

From the reaction you see that:

if 2 moles of Al will react with 3 moles of CuCl

then 19 moles of Al will react with X moles of CuCl

X = (19 × 3) / 2 = 28.5 moles of CuCl, way more that 11.6 moles of CuCl wich is the quantity you have. So the copper chloride is the limiting reagent.