Chapter 3

Stoichiometry:
Calculations with Chemical Formulas and Equations
John D. Bookstaver
St. Charles Community College
Cottleville, MO
Law of Conservation of Mass
We may lay it down as an incontestable axiom that, in all the operations of art and nature, nothing is created; an equal amount of
matter exists both before and after the experiment. Upon this principle, the whole art of performing chemical experiments
depends.
--Antoine Lavoisier, 1789
Chemical Equations
Chemical equations are concise representations of chemical reactions.
Anatomy of a Chemical Equation
CH
4 (g)
+ 2 O
2 (g)
CO
2 (g)
+ 2 H
2
O
(g)

Anatomy of a Chemical Equation
Reactants appear on the left side of the equation.
CH
4 (g)
+ 2 O
2 (g)
CO
2 (g)
+ 2 H
2
O
(g)

Anatomy of a Chemical Equation
Products appear on the right side of the equation.
CH
4 (g)
+ 2 O
2 (g)
CO
2 (g)
+ 2 H
2
O
(g)

Anatomy of a Chemical Equation
The states of the reactants and products are written in parentheses to the right of each compound.
CH
4 (g)
+ 2 O
2 (g)
CO
2 (g)
+ 2 H
2
O
(g)

Anatomy of a Chemical Equation
Coefficients are inserted to balance the equation. 1:2:1:2
CH
4 (g)
+ 2 O
2 (g)
CO
2 (g)
+ 2 H
2
O
(g)

Subscripts and Coefficients Give Different Information
Subscripts tell the number of atoms of each element in a molecule.
Subscripts and Coefficients Give Different Information
Subscripts tell the number of atoms of each element in a molecule
Coefficients tell the number of molecules.
Reaction Types
Combination Reactions
Decomposition Reactions
Combustion Reactions
Metathesis (Exchange)*
Acid-base (Neutralization) Reactions*
Gas-Forming Reactions*
Oxidation-Reduction Reactions*
Displacement Reactions *

* Chapter 4
Combination Reactions
Examples:
2 Mg
(s)
+ O
2 (g)
2 MgO
(s)

N
2 (g)
+ 3 H
2 (g)
2 NH
3 (g)

C
3
H
6 (g)
+ Br
2 (l)
C
3
H
6
Br
2 (l)

In this type of reaction two or more substances react to form one product.
Decomposition Reactions
Examples:
CaCO
3

(s)
CaO
(s)
+ CO
2

(g)

2 KClO
3

(s)
2 KCl
(s)
+ O
2 (g)

2 NaN
3

(s)
2 Na
(s)
+ 3 N
2

(g)

In a decomposition one substance breaks down into two or more substances.
Combustion Reactions
Examples:
CH
4 (g)
+ 2 O
2 (g)
CO
2 (g)
+ 2 H
2
O
(g)

C
3
H
8 (g)
+ 5 O
2 (g)
3 CO
2 (g)
+ 4 H
2
O
(g)

C
3
H
8
O
3
(l) + O
2
(g)
These are generally rapid reactions that produce a flame.
Most often involve hydrocarbons reacting with oxygen in the air.
Formula Weights
Formula Weight (FW)
A formula weight is the sum of the atomic weights for the atoms in a chemical formula.
So, the formula weight of calcium chloride, CaCl
2
, would be
Ca: 1(40.1 amu)
+ Cl: 2(35.5 amu)
111.1 amu
1 amu = 1.66054 X 10
-24
g

Formula weights are generally reported for ionic compounds.
(NH
4
)
2
CO
3
?
Molecular Weight (MW)
A molecular weight is the sum of the atomic weights of the atoms in a molecule.
For the molecule ethane, C
2
H
6
, the molecular weight would be
What is percent composition of C and H in ethane?
Percent Composition
One can find the percentage of the mass of a compound that comes from each of the elements in the compound by
using this equation:
Percent Composition
So the percentage of carbon in ethane is
Moles
Avogadros Number
6.02 x 10
23

1 mole of
12
C has a mass of 12 g.
Molar Mass
By definition, a molar mass is the mass of 1 mol of a substance (i.e., g/mol or g/mole).
The molar mass of an element is the mass number for the element that we find on the periodic table.
The formula weight (in amus) will be the same number as the molar mass (in g/mol).
Using Moles
Moles provide a bridge from the molecular scale to the real-world scale.
Mole Relationships
One mole of atoms, ions, or molecules contains Avogadros number of those particles.
One mole of molecules or formula units contains Avogadros number times the number of atoms or ions of each
element in the compound.
PtCl
2
(NH
3
)
2
? Pt (195.078) Cl (35.453) N (14)
Finding Empirical Formulas
Calculating Empirical Formulas
One can calculate the empirical formula from the percent composition.
Calculating Empirical Formulas
Calculating Empirical Formulas
Calculating Empirical Formulas
Calculating Empirical Formulas
Combustion Analysis
Compounds containing C, H and O are routinely analyzed through combustion in a chamber like this.
C is determined from the mass of CO
2
produced.
H is determined from the mass of H
2
O produced.
O is determined by difference after the C and H have been determined.
Elemental Analyses
Compounds containing other elements are analyzed using methods analogous to those used for C, H and O.
Stoichiometric Calculations

The coefficients in the balanced equation give
the ratio of moles of reactants and products.
Stoichiometric Calculations
xA yB + zC
Starting with the mass of Substance A, you can use the ratio of the coefficients of A and B to calculate the mass of
Substance B formed (if its a product) or used (if its a reactant).
Stoichiometric Calculations
C
6
H
12
O
6
+ 6 O
2
6 CO
2
+ 6 H
2
O
How many moles of water will be obtained by burning 180 g of glucose?
How many grams of water will be obtained by burning 180 g of glucose?
How many moles of water will be obtained by burning 18 g of glucose?
How many grams of water will be obtained by burning 18 g of glucose?
How many moles and grams of water will be obtained by burning 1g of glucose?
Limiting Reactants
How Many Cookies Can I Make?
You can make cookies until you run out of one of the ingredients.
Once this family runs out of sugar, they will stop making cookies (at least any cookies you would want to eat).
How Many Cookies Can I Make?
In this example the sugar would be the limiting reactant, because it will limit the amount of cookies you can make.
Limiting Reactants
The limiting reactant is the reactant present in the smallest stoichiometric amount.
In other words, its the reactant youll run out of first (in this case, the H
2
).
Limiting Reactants
In the example below, the O
2
would be the excess reagent.
4 Li(s) + O
2
(g)

2 Li
2
O(s)
start (given) 4.0 mol 1.0 mol 0 mol
reacted -4.0 mol -1.0 mol +2.0 mol
end 0 mol 0 mol 2.0 mol No LR
For the 4.0 mol of Li to react we need (? mol of O
2
)
Then, there is no LR (ratio according to equation).

4 Li(s) + O
2
(g)

2 Li
2
O(s)
start (given) 4.0 mol 0.5 mol 0 mol
reacted -2.0 mol -0.5 mol +1.0 mol
end 2.0 mol 0 mol 1.0 mol O
2
LR
For the 0.5 mol of O
2
to react we need (? mol of Li)


(4.0 mol Li given; see equation)
So O
2
is LR (use O
2
in calculation).

4 Li(s) + O
2
(g)

2 Li
2
O(s)
start 8.0 mol 3.0 mol 0 mol
reacted -8.0 mol -2.0 mol +4.0 mol
end 0 mol 1.0 mol xs 4.0 mol Li LR
If O
2
? 12.0 mol -3.0 mol 6.0 mol


Theoretical Yield
The theoretical yield is the maximum amount of product that can be made.
In other words its the amount of product possible as calculated through the stoichiometry problem.
This is different from the actual yield, which is the amount one actually produces and measures.
Percent Yield
One finds the percent yield by comparing the amount actually obtained (actual yield) to the amount it was possible to
make (theoretical yield).
64.0 g of methanol, CH
3
OH, were expected to be produced in the reaction
CO(g) + 2H
2
(g) CH
3
OH(l)
One student got 56.0 g of methanol for that reaction in the laboratory. What was the %yield of methanol?
64.0 g of methanol is the theoretical yield
(expected)
56.0 g is the actual yield (in the laboratory)
56.0 g
% Yield = 100 = 87.5 %
64.0 g
Practice problems
The following problems have been selected from the exercises at the end of chapter 2 for your mastery of the contents in this
chapter: 3.10, 3.12, 3.14, 3.20, 3.24, 3.30, 3.34, 3.36, 3.44, 3.46, 3.50, 3.58, 3.68, 3.71, 3.74
Also, study the worked out problems in this chapter.