Chemistry / Unit 3 Chem 0477 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Limiting Reactant
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The idea
The limiting reactant is the reactant fully consumed first, capping the amount of product a reaction can form.
In practice
Given excess hydrogen and a fixed, smaller amount of chlorine, the reaction stops once chlorine runs out, whatever hydrogen remains.
Where people slip
The limiting reactant is not whichever substance has the smaller starting mass — identity depends on the equation's mole ratio too.
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