Limiting Reactants

• What does it mean for a reactant to be a 'limiting reactant':

  • It all reacts and limits how much product can be formed
• If 4g of calcium reacts with oxygen from the air, which is most likely to be a limiting reactant, the calcium or the oxygen:

  • calcium because there's only a limited amount but there's a limitless amount of oxygen
• What does it mean for a reactant to be 'in excess':

  • It does not all react, and has no affect on the amount of product formed