What mass of solid aluminum hydroxide can be produced when \(50.0 \mathrm{~mL}\) of \(0.200 \mathrm{M} \mathrm{Al}\left(\mathrm{NO}_{3}\right)_{3}\) is added to \(200.0 \mathrm{~mL}\) of \(0.100 \mathrm{M} \mathrm{KOH} ?\)

In any chemical reaction, the limiting reactant is the substance that is completely consumed first, limiting the amount of product that can be formed. It's the reactant that determines the maximum yield of products.

To identify the limiting reactant, you must compare the amount of reactants used in the reaction with the stoichiometry of the chemical equation. In practice, this compares the mole ratios of the reactants with the coefficients of the balanced equation. If you have more of a reactant than is required by these ratios, it is in excess; the one you have less of in comparison to its required stoichiometric amount is the limiting reactant. Knowing this concept is crucial because it allows you to calculate the correct amount of products that can form.

The mole ratio is another fundamental concept of stoichiometry and it comes from the balanced chemical equation. It refers to the ratio of moles of one substance to the moles of another substance in a balanced equation. These ratios allow chemists to calculate the amounts of reactants needed and the amount of product that can be formed during a reaction.

For example, if the balanced chemical equation indicates that 2 moles of hydrogen gas react with 1 mole of oxygen gas to produce 2 moles of water, then the mole ratio of hydrogen to oxygen is 2:1. This quantifies the precise proportions in which chemicals react, and it helps in determining which reactant is the limiting reactant.

A balanced chemical equation is another cornerstone of stoichiometry. It represents a chemical reaction where the number of atoms for each element is equal on the reactant and the product sides. This principle, known as the law of conservation of mass, ensures that matter is neither created nor destroyed during a chemical reaction.

Each component is represented by its chemical formula, and coefficients are used to show the number of molecules or moles of each substance involved. It is imperative to balance a chemical equation to accurately perform calculations related to the reaction, such as determining the limiting reactant or the mole ratios needed for complete reaction.

Finally, molar mass is a concept that relates the mass of a substance to the number of moles present. It is defined as the mass of a given substance (chemical element or chemical compound) divided by its amount of substance in moles. The molar mass is typically expressed in grams per mole (g/mol) and is calculated by adding the atomic masses of all atoms present in the molecule.

For stoichiometric calculations, the molar mass allows conversion between moles and grams. In the example provided, we use the molar mass of aluminum hydroxide to convert the moles of product predicted by the stoichiometry into the mass of product that can actually be formed from the limiting reactant.