Jesse Braxton

10th Grade General Chemistry

5th & 6th Period, 47 mins
Limiting Reactant Lab
OVERVIEW/ RATIONALE
Students will continue to learn about another aspect of stoichiometry: limiting and excess
reactants. In this lab students will create a chemical reaction between aqueous copper (II) sulfate
and iron filings, producing copper metal. The will take the mass of copper sulfate they start with,
the mass of iron filings in the reaction, and, after the reaction happens overnight and their product
is washed and dried, the mass of copper metal that results. They will then use their observations
and stoichiometric calculations to determine whether iron or copper (II) sulfate was the limiting
reactant.
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS
This lab emphasizes the skill of proportional thinking by giving students a practical application of
ratios.
GOALS/OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to:
Perform stoichiometric calculations to determine a limiting reactant.
Students will understand:
That the amount of product resulting from a chemical reaction is determined by the initial
moles of the limiting reactant and the stoichiometry of the reaction.
STANDARDS
3.2.C.A4 Use stoichiometry to predict quantitative relationships in a chemical reaction.
MATERIALS
Materials listed in lab packet
Projection for warmup activity
PROCEDURES
OPENER
Students will do a brief thought experiment, beginning by writing down at least three pieces of
information they would need in order to answer the question: How much copper metal will be
produced when a known quantity of CUSO4 reacts with a known quantity of Fe? After writing
down responses, students will compile a list of responses in their lab groups before sharing them
with the class.
BODY OF THE LESSON
Students will follow the lab procedures in the lab packet.
CLOSER
Students will complete Day 1 of the lab procedure and clean up their stations.
ACCOMODATIONS
I will assist lab groups that are in need of help as they carry out the procedure.

ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION
After completing all three days of the lab procedure they will submit calculations, data analysis,
and conclusions about which reactant was the limiting reactant.