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Problem: Elemental phosphorus reacts with chlorine gas according to the equation:P4(s) + 6 Cl2(g) → 4 PCl3(l)A reaction mixture initially contains 45.53 g P4 and 131.1 g Cl2.Once the reaction has occurred as completely as possible, what mass (in g) of the excess reactant remains?

FREE Expert Solution

Determine the limiting reactant (i.e. the reactant that forms the least number of mass of the product):

Mass of PCl3 produced from P4:

mass PCl3=45.53 g P4(1 mol P4123.88 g P4)(4 mol PCl31 mol P4)(137.33 g PCl31 mol PCl3)=201.89 g

Mass of PCl3 produced from Cl2:

mass PCl3=131.1 g Cl2(1 mol Cl270.90 g Cl2)(4 mol PCl36 mol Cl2)(137.33 g PCl31 mol PCl3)=169.29 g

The limiting reactant is Cl2, therefore it is used up completely in the reaction, and P4 is the excess reactant.

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Problem Details

Elemental phosphorus reacts with chlorine gas according to the equation:

P4(s) + 6 Cl2(g) → 4 PCl3(l)

A reaction mixture initially contains 45.53 g P4 and 131.1 g Cl2.

Once the reaction has occurred as completely as possible, what mass (in g) of the excess reactant remains?

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