Methane, CH 4 , burns in oxygen to give carbon dioxide and water according to the following equation:
CH 4 + 2 O 2 > CO 2 + 2 H 2 O
In one experiment, a mixture of 0.250 mol of methane was burned in 1.25 mol of oxygen in a sealed steel
vessel. Find the limiting reactant and excess reactants.

is the limiting reagent and is the excess reagent.

Explanation:

The balanced chemical reaction is :

According to stoichiometry :

1 mole of require = 2 moles of

Thus 0.250 moles of will require=  of

As present is more than the required amount , it is an excess reagent.

Thus is the limiting reagent as it limits the formation of product and is the excess reagent.

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