How many moles of NiCl_2 can be formed in the reaction of 6.00 mol of Ni and 12.0 mol of HCl?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the balanced chemical equation for the reaction: \[ \text{Ni} + 2\text{HCl} \rightarrow \text{NiCl}_2 + \text{H}_2 \]
2. Determine the mole ratio between the reactants and the product from the balanced equation. Here, 1 mole of Ni reacts with 2 moles of HCl to produce 1 mole of NiCl_2.
3. Calculate the moles of NiCl_2 that can be formed from 6.00 moles of Ni, using the mole ratio from the balanced equation.
4. Calculate the moles of NiCl_2 that can be formed from 12.0 moles of HCl, using the mole ratio from the balanced equation.
5. Compare the moles of NiCl_2 that can be formed from each reactant to determine the limiting reactant and the maximum moles of NiCl_2 that can be formed.

Key Concepts

Stoichiometry

Stoichiometry is the branch of chemistry that deals with the quantitative relationships between the reactants and products in a chemical reaction. It allows chemists to predict how much of each substance is consumed or produced based on balanced chemical equations. Understanding stoichiometry is essential for determining the amounts of reactants needed or products formed in a reaction.

Balanced Chemical Equation

A balanced chemical equation represents a chemical reaction with equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides of the equation. This balance ensures the law of conservation of mass is upheld. For the reaction between nickel (Ni) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) to form nickel(II) chloride (NiCl2), knowing the balanced equation is crucial to calculate the moles of products formed from given reactants.

Limiting Reactant

The limiting reactant is the substance that is completely consumed first in a chemical reaction, thus determining the maximum amount of product that can be formed. Identifying the limiting reactant is vital for stoichiometric calculations, as it dictates how much of the product can be produced from the available reactants. In this case, analyzing the moles of Ni and HCl will reveal which one limits the formation of NiCl2.