The complete combustion of octane, C8H18, a component of gasoline, proceeds as follows: 2 C8H18 (l) + 25 O2 (g) → 16 CO2 (g) + 18 H2O (g) (c) Octane has a density of 0.692 g/mL at 20 °C. How many grams of O2 are required to burn 15.0 gal of C8H18 (the capacity of an average fuel tank)?
Ch.3 - Chemical Reactions and Reaction Stoichiometry
Chapter 3, Problem 73b
(b) Why are the amounts of products formed in a reaction determined only by the amount of the limiting reactant?

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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Limiting Reactant
The limiting reactant is the substance in a chemical reaction that is completely consumed first, thus determining the maximum amount of product that can be formed. Once this reactant is used up, the reaction cannot proceed further, regardless of the amounts of other reactants present. Understanding which reactant is limiting is crucial for predicting the yield of products.
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Stoichiometry
Stoichiometry is the branch of chemistry that deals with the quantitative relationships between the reactants and products in a chemical reaction. It involves using balanced chemical equations to calculate the amounts of substances consumed and produced. This concept is essential for determining how much product can be formed based on the amount of the limiting reactant.
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Reaction Completion
In a chemical reaction, completion refers to the point at which the reactants have been converted into products. The amount of product formed is directly related to the limiting reactant, as it dictates when the reaction stops. Understanding this concept helps clarify why the limiting reactant controls the overall yield of the reaction.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
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Textbook Question
Detonation of nitroglycerin proceeds as follows: 4 C3H5N3O91l2¡ 12 CO21g2 + 6 N21g2 + O21g2 + 10 H2O1g2 (a) If a sample containing 2.00 mL of nitroglycerin 1density = 1.592 g>mL2 is detonated, how many moles of gas are produced?
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Textbook Question
The combustion of one mole of liquid octane, CH3(CH2)6CH3, produces 5470 kJ of heat. Calculate how much heat is produced if 1.000 gallon of octane is combusted.
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Textbook Question
(c) Why should you base your choice of which compound is the limiting reactant on its number of initial moles, not on its initial mass in grams?
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Textbook Question
(a) Define the terms theoretical yield, actual yield, and percent yield.
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Textbook Question
(b) Why is the actual yield in a reaction almost always less than the theoretical yield?
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