When powdered zinc is heated with sulfur, a violent reaction occurs, and zinc sulfide forms:

Zn( s ) + S 8 ( s ) ZnS( s ) [unbalanced]

(a) Some of the reactants also combine with oxygen in air to form zinc oxide and sulfur
dioxide. When 83.2 g of Zn reacts with 52.4 g of S 8 , 107.2 g of ZnS forms. What is the
percent yield of ZnS?

(b) If all the remaining reactants combine with oxygen, how many grams of each of the two
oxides form?

First, balance the given equation: 8Zn( s ) + S 8 ( s ) 8ZnS( s )

The reactions with oxygen are 2Zn( s ) + O 2 ( g ) 2ZnO( s )

S 8 ( s ) + 8O 2 ( g ) 8SO 2 ( g )
(a) Since the amounts of both starting materials are given, we must first find the limiting
reagent.

Moles of ZnS from Zn =

1 mol Zn 8 mol ZnS

(83.2 g Zn) = 1.27 mol ZnS
65.38 g Zn 8 mol Zn
Moles of ZnS from S 8 =

1 mol S 8 8 mol ZnS

(52.4 g S 8 ) = 1.63 mol ZnS
256.56 g S 8 1 mol S 8
The zinc will produce less zinc sulfide. Thus, zinc is the limiting reactant and will first be used
to determine the theoretical yield and then the percent yield.

Theoretical yield =

1 mol Zn 8 mol ZnS 97.48 g ZnS

(83.2 g Zn) = 124 g ZnS
65.38 g Zn 8 mol Zn 1 mol ZnS

Actual Yield 107.2 g

Percent yield = 100% = 100% = 86.5% yield
Theoretical Yield 124 g
(b) The percent yield indicates that 86.5% of the zinc produced zinc sulfide so
  of the zinc became zinc oxide. This allows the calculation of the
amount of zinc oxide formed.
Grams zinc oxide =

13.50% 1 mol Zn 2 mol ZnO 81.41 g ZnO

(83.2 g Zn) = 14.0 g ZnO
100% 65.38 g Zn 2 mol Zn 1 mol ZnO
The calculation is slightly different for sulfur. We need to determine the amount of sulfur not in
zinc sulfide. The sulfur not in the zinc sulfide must be in sulfur dioxide. The amount of sulfur
not in zinc sulfide will be converted to the mass of sulfur dioxide.
Mass SO2 =

1 mol S 8 1 mol ZnS 1 mol S 8 8 mol SO 2

52.4 g S 8 J=Q6
256.56 g S 8 97.48 g ZnS 8 mol ZnS 1 mol S 8
64.07 g SO 2
= 34.2 g SO 2
1 mol SO 2