In: Chemistry
Compare and contrast limiting reagent reactions and equilibrium reactions
Limiting reagent reaction - The reagents in a chemical reaction that limits the amount of product that can be formed. The reaction will stop when all of the limiting reactant or reagents is consumed.If one or more other reagents are present in excess of the quantities required to react with the limiting reagent, they are described as excess reactants or excess reagents.This method is most useful when there are only two reactants. One reactant (A) is chosen, and the balanced chemical equation is used to determine the amount of the other reactant (B) necessary to react with A. If the amount of B actually present exceeds the amount required, then B is in excess and A is the limiting reagent. If the amount of B present is less than required, then B is the limiting reagent.
Equillibrium reactions- In equillibrum reaction, equilibrium is the state in which both reactants and products are present in concentrations which have no further tendency to change with time.Usually, this state results when the forward reaction proceeds at the same rate as the reverse reaction. The reaction rates of the forward and backward reactions are generally not zero, but equal. Thus, there are no net changes in the concentrations of the reactant and product.