Hou might neet: Catubtor Sodium chloride and silver nitrate react according to the following balanced reaction: \[ \mathrm{NaCl}(\mathrm{aq})+\mathrm{AgNO}_{3}(\mathrm{aq}) \rightarrow \mathrm{AgCl}(\mathrm{~s})+\mathrm{NaNO}_{3}(\mathrm{aq}) \] A student reacts 0.75 moles of NaCl with 0.50 moles of \( \mathrm{AgNO}_{3} \). What is the limiting reactant, and why? Choose 1 answer: (a) NaCl , because it will run out before the \( \mathrm{AgNO}_{3} \). (D) \( \mathrm{NaCl}_{\text {, because the }} \mathrm{AgNO}_{3} \) runs out first. (C) \( \mathrm{AgNO}_{3} \), because it will run out before the NaCl . (D) \( \mathrm{AgNO}_{3} \), because the NaCl runs out first.

To determine the limiting reactant, we should look at the stoichiometry of the reaction. The balanced equation shows a 1:1 molar ratio between NaCl and AgNO₃. The student has 0.75 moles of NaCl and 0.50 moles of AgNO₃. This means that only 0.50 moles of NaCl are needed to react with 0.50 moles of AgNO₃, leaving excess NaCl. Thus, AgNO₃ is the limiting reactant, as it will run out first. In practical terms, knowing the limiting reactant is crucial in experiments because it helps predict how much product can be formed. In this case, since AgNO₃ is limiting, only a total of 0.50 moles of AgCl can be produced, even though there's enough NaCl available. It’s a classic case of maximizing resources in chemistry—don’t waste your good ingredients!