# Introduction for Module 5 – Limiting Reactants

Textbook: Open Stax Chemistry 2e

Suggested Reading: Chapter 4.4

Learning Objectives:

- Explain the concepts of theoretical yield and limiting reactants/reagents.
- Derive the theoretical yield for a reaction under specified conditions.

Captions and Attributions:

- Chemical reactions are like recipes. When we have more of one ingredient than we need, we are left with excess, and the ingredient we run out of first is the limiting reactant and will determine stoichiometry. Figure 4.13 Sandwich making can illustrate the concepts of limiting and excess reactants by Open Stax is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
- In this example, we run out of Cl2 before H2, and therefore chlorine (Cl2) is the limiting reactant. Figure 4.14 When H2 and Cl2 are combined in nonstoichiometric amounts by Open Stax is licensed under CC BY 4.0.