If 4.50 g of HCl are reacted with 15.00 g of CaCO3, according to the following balanced chemical equation, calculate the theoretical yield of CO2

Answer 1

Write a correctly balanced equation for the reaction:

2HCl + CaCO₃ ==> CaCl₂ + CO₂ + H₂O ... balanced equation

Since we are given the amounts of BOTH reactants, we must find which one is limiting. One way to do this is to simply divide the moles of each by the corresponding coefficient in the balanced equation:

For HCl: 4.50 g HCl x 1 mol / 36.5 g = 0.123 mols HCl (÷2->0.06)

For CaCO₃: 15.00 g x 1 mol / 100 g = 0.150 mols CaCO₃ (÷1->0.150)

Since 0.06 is less than 0.15, HCl is the limiting reactant and moles of HCl will determine CO₂ formed

Theoretical yield of CO₂:

0.123 mols HCl x 1 mol CO₂ / 2 mol HCl = 0.0615 mols CO₂ formed

0.0615 mols CO₂ x 44 g / mol = 2.71 g CO₂ formed = theoretical yield