If 152 grams of ethane (c2h6) are reacted with 231 grams of oxygen gas, what is the mass of the excess reactant leftover after the reaction has reached completion? 2c2h6(g) + 7o2(g) → 4co2(g) + 6h2o(g)

The answer is:

the mass of the excess reactant  leftover after the reaction has reached completion is 90.135 grams

The explanation:

According to the reaction equation:

 2C₂H₆(g) + 7O₂(g) → 4CO₂(g) + 6H₂O(g)

when m is the mass of C₂H₆ m(C₂H₆) = 152 g

So we need to get the number of moles of C₂H₆

n(C₂H₆) = mass C₂H₆ / molar mass of C₂H₆(M)

and when the molar mass of C₂H₆ = 30 g/mol

so, by substitution:

n(C₂H₆) = m(C₂H₆) / M(C₂H₆).

n(C₂H₆) = 152 g / 30 g/mol.

n(C₂H₆) = 5.067 mol.

Then

when the mass of O₂ m(O₂) = 231 g

so we need to get the number of moles of O₂

when nO₂ = mass O₂/ molar mass of O₂

when molar mass of O₂ = 32 g /mol

So, by substitution:

n(O₂) = 231 g / 32 g/mol.

n(O₂) = 7.218 mol

So O₂ is the limiting reactant

according to the chemical reaction we can get the molar ratio between the O₂and C₂H₆:

n O₂ : n C₂H₆    →  7.218 : n C₂H₆

      7 : 2                   7      :   2

∴ n(C₂H₆) = 2 * 7.218 mol / 7

∴ n(C₂H₆) = 2.0625 mol

The number of moles remaining n(C₂H₆) = 5.067 mol - 2.0625 mol

∴ n (C₂H₆) = 3.0045 mol

So the mass remains = moles remains * molar mass of C₂H₆

∴ m (C₂H₆) = 3.0045 mol * 30 g/mol = 90.135 g