When studying chemical reactions, understanding the amount of product produced is essential. In this case, let’s explore how to determine how many moles of barium sulfate (BaSO₄) are produced in a given reaction. The specific reaction we’ll consider involves barium ions (Ba²⁺) reacting with sulfate ions (SO₄²⁻) to form barium sulfate as a solid precipitate.
1. The Chemical Reaction
The reaction between barium ions (Ba²⁺) and sulfate ions (SO₄²⁻) to form barium sulfate (BaSO₄) can be written as:
Ba2+(aq)+SO42−(aq)→BaSO4(s)\text{Ba}^{2+}(aq) + \text{SO}_4^{2-}(aq) \rightarrow \text{BaSO}_4(s)
This is a simple precipitation reaction, where barium sulfate (BaSO₄) forms as an insoluble solid. The equation shows that one mole of barium ion reacts with one mole of sulfate ion to produce one mole of barium sulfate.
2. Using Stoichiometry to Find Moles of BaSO₄
To determine how many moles of barium sulfate (BaSO₄) are produced from a reaction, we can apply stoichiometry, which is the calculation of reactants and products in chemical reactions. Stoichiometric calculations involve using the mole ratio from the balanced chemical equation.
The mole ratio of Ba²⁺ to BaSO₄ in the reaction is 1:1. This means that for every mole of barium ion (Ba²⁺), one mole of barium sulfate (BaSO₄) is produced.
Here’s how you would calculate the moles of BaSO₄:
- Determine the number of moles of Ba²⁺ or SO₄²⁻ available (whichever is the limiting reactant).
- Use the mole ratio from the balanced equation (1:1 ratio).
- The number of moles of BaSO₄ produced will be equal to the number of moles of the limiting reactant.
3. Example Calculation
Let’s go through an example to see how to calculate the number of moles of barium sulfate produced.
Given:
- You have 2 moles of barium chloride (BaCl₂), which dissociates to provide 2 moles of Ba²⁺ ions.
- You also have 1.5 moles of sodium sulfate (Na₂SO₄), which dissociates to provide 1.5 moles of SO₄²⁻ ions.
Step 1: Determine the limiting reactant
- From the balanced equation, we know the mole ratio of Ba²⁺ to BaSO₄ is 1:1.
- Similarly, the mole ratio of SO₄²⁻ to BaSO₄ is also 1:1.
- We have 2 moles of Ba²⁺ and 1.5 moles of SO₄²⁻. Since we have fewer moles of SO₄²⁻, SO₄²⁻ is the limiting reactant.
Step 2: Calculate moles of BaSO₄ produced
Since the mole ratio is 1:1, and SO₄²⁻ is the limiting reactant, the number of moles of BaSO₄ produced will be equal to the number of moles of SO₄²⁻:
Moles of BaSO4=Moles of SO42−=1.5 moles\text{Moles of BaSO}_4 = \text{Moles of SO}_4^{2-} = 1.5 \text{ moles}
So, 1.5 moles of barium sulfate (BaSO₄) will be produced in this reaction.
The number of moles of barium sulfate produced in a reaction depends on the stoichiometry of the reaction and the amounts of reactants available. Using the 1:1 mole ratio from the balanced equation, you can calculate the moles of BaSO₄ produced by identifying the limiting reactant and applying stoichiometric principles.
In our example, 1.5 moles of barium sulfate are produced when 2 moles of barium chloride react with 1.5 moles of sodium sulfate, with sulfate ions being the limiting reactant. This process can be applied to other similar reactions to determine the amount of product formed.