In the Classroom

How to Say How Much: Amounts and Stoichiometry

Addison Ault
Department of Chemistry, Cornell College, Mount Vernon, IA 52314-1098; aault@cornell-iowa.edu

Part 1 first step is to reexpress the given amount in terms of the units
of the diagram. Thus if the mass is in kilograms, pounds, or
My purpose in the first part of this paper is to offer a ounces, convert to grams; if the volume of a pure liquid is not
concise and consistent pictorial representation of the ways in milliliters, convert to milliliters; if the volume of a solution
by which chemists describe an amount of material. I use this is not in liters, convert to liters, etc. If concentrations are
representation in my introductory chemistry course and offer expressed as molality or percent by weight, the conversions are
it here as a recommendation to both teachers and students. not so easy. In my opinion, however, such problems should
Although the central unit for the chemical amount is the not be included in the first semester of general chemistry.
mole, chemists must measure and express amounts in several Finally, if the answer is to be expressed in units that are not
other ways: grams of a pure substance, milliliters of a pure represented in the diagram, reexpress the calculated mass or
liquid, liters of a solution, liters of a gas at standard and at volume in the specified units as the last step in the problem.
nonstandard conditions, and number of particles. These
different expressions of how much can be interconverted
by conversion factors, as indicated in Figure 1.
The conversion factors, in the ovals, are density (g/mL),
Amounts: density
molar mass (g/mol), Avogadros number (particles/mol),
concentration (mol/L), molar volume of a gas at standard Conversion
Factors:
conditions (22.4 L/mol), and the adjustment factors, the grams mL of a
pure liquid
factors by which the volume of a gas must be adjusted to
take into account deviations from the standard conditions
molar
of pressure (1 atm) and temperature (273 K). N mass
In my teaching I present this diagram a portion at a time,
starting with MOLES in the middle and adding grams and liters of a
particles MOLES
its conversion factor (molar mass), milliliters of a liquid and solution
its conversion factor (density), and particles and its conversion
factor (Avogadros number). When we get to solutions, I redraw 22.4 L/mole concentration
the figure, adding liters of a solution and its conversion factor
(concentration), and when we get to gases I redraw the diagram
liters of a gas liters of a
again, adding liters of a gas at the standard conditions of tem- not at STP gas at STP
perature and pressure (STP) and its conversion factor (22.4
L/mol, the molar volume of any gas at STP) and liters of a
P,T adjustments
gas not at STP. I point out later that one can go directly from
liters of a gas not at STP to moles via PV = nRT.
I also tell my students that if the units used in the state- Figure 1. Ways to express amount and the conversion factors by
ment of the problem are not represented on the diagram, the which the various ways of expressing amount can be interconverted.

JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu Vol. 78 No. 10 October 2001 Journal of Chemical Education 1347

 In the Classroom

Part 2 the gram amount of ammonia actually formed (the actual

yield, grams actual) as indicated here:
My purpose in the second part of this paper is to present a
systematic way to create a visual representation or map for N2 + 3H2 2NH3
the solution of the typical stoichiometry problems discussed grams;
8.5
actual
in general chemistry. Once you explicitly lay out the path to
the solution, you can do the actual calculations easily and grams;
10 12.1
theo.
accurately. You can apply this approach to mole-to-mole and molar mass N2
molar mass NH3
gram-to-gram calculations (or any combination of these), and moles 0.36 0.72
to limiting-reagent and percent-yield problems. You can also moletomole

extend the basic approach to reactions that involve solutions The fractional yield, (8.5 grams/12.1 grams) times 100 is the
or gases and to titration problems. The advantage here is that percent yield, 70%.
you approach all stoichiometry problems as variations on a
central theme and subdivide the problems into the same types Limiting Reagent Problems
of elementary steps. Example 4. Ten grams of nitrogen gas and 10 grams of
Mole-to-Mole Problems hydrogen are reacted together to give ammonia. How many
grams of ammonia can be formed?
The first example is a simple problem that will illustrate This time we suspect that some of one of the starting
the general idea. materials will be left over at the end of the reaction. We there-
Example 1. Calculate the number of moles of nitrogen fore provide two mole lines: moles initial and moles final,
gas needed to produce 5.0 moles of ammonia. and two gram lines: grams initial and grams final.
First, write the balanced equation:
N2 + 3H2 2NH3 N2 + 3H2 2NH3
grams;
You solve the problem by reexpressing the given amount of initial 10 10 0
ammonia as its equivalent in moles of nitrogen for the process M.M. N2 M.M. H2
moles;
represented by the balanced equation. The map below the initial
0.36 5.0 0
balanced equation represents the solution. mole
to
mole
moles;
0 3.9 0.72
N2 + 3H2 2NH3 final
M.M. H2 M.M. NH3
moles 2.5 5 grams;
moletomole final 0 7.8 12.1

The balanced equation indicates that the mole-to-mole con-

Since the initial number of moles of hydrogen is more than three
version factor for reexpression of 5.0 moles of ammonia as
times the initial number of moles of nitrogen, the nitrogen must
its equivalent in nitrogen is (1 mole nitrogen/2 moles am-
be the limiting reagent, and its complete consumption would
monia). The result of the calculation is shown in italics in
provide 0.72 moles or 12.1 grams of ammonia.
the box under nitrogen on the mole line. We have assumed
Ive included a few more numbers that can be used to
that all of the nitrogen has been converted to ammonia.
show that while moles are not conserved, grams are conserved.
Gram-to-Gram Problems
Extension to Amount of Gas Expressed by Volume
Example 2. Calculate the number of grams of ammonia at STP
gas that can be formed by the reaction of 10 grams of nitrogen
Example 5. Calculate the number of liters of ammonia
gas with an excess of hydrogen gas.
gas at standard conditions of temperature and pressure that
Since grams are specified in this problem, the map for
can be formed by the reaction of 10 grams of nitrogen gas
this problem, shown below the balanced equation, will con-
with an excess of hydrogen gas.
tain a grams line in addition to the moles line. Again, we
have assumed that all of the nitrogen has been converted to N2 + 3H2 2NH3
ammonia.
grams 10
N2 + 3H2 2NH3 molar mass N2

grams 10 12.1 moles 0.36 0.72

moletomole
molar mass N2 22.4 liters/mole
molar mass NH3 liters of
moles 0.36 0.72 gas, STP 16
moletomole
Example 5 is just like Example 2 except for the requirement
Percent Yield Problems that the amount of ammonia, the product, is to be expressed
Example 3. The reaction of 10 grams of nitrogen gas with as liters of gas at STP.
an excess of hydrogen gas gives 8.5 grams of ammonia. What
is the percent yield of ammonia? Extension to Amount of Gas Expressed by Volume Not
In this problem we suspect that not all of the nitrogen at STP
has been converted to ammonia. We proceed, however, as in If the problem requires that the amount of a gas be expressed
Example 2 and calculate the gram amount of ammonia that as liters of gas at nonstandard condition, the adjustment from
should be formed if all of the nitrogen is converted to ammo- standard to nonstandard conditions can be made at the end,
nia (the theoretical yield, grams theo.), and compare this to as shown in Example 6.

1348 Journal of Chemical Education Vol. 78 No. 10 October 2001 JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu

 In the Classroom

Example 6. Calculate the number of liters of ammonia Notice how easily you can add to the map the second part of
gas at 25 C and 0.8 atm. that can be formed by the reaction a two-part question.
of 10 grams of nitrogen gas with an excess of hydrogen gas.
Extension to a Typical Titration Problem
N2 + 3H2 2NH3 Example 8 illustrates the application of this approach
grams 10 to a typical titration problem.
molar mass N2 Example 8. Titration of 30.00 mL of an oxalic acid
moles 0.36 0.72 solution required 38.0 mL of 0.500 molar sodium hydroxide.
moletomole
22.4 liters/mole Find the molarity of the oxalic acid solution.
liters of
gas, STP 16 The insight here is to realize that the unknown in this
conditions problem is a conversion factor, not an amount. Thus the
liters of gas,
conditions
21.8 unknown will be represented by a vertical line rather than a
box, and the values in the two boxes connected by the line
Thus the volume of 16 liters at standard conditions is adjusted will define the conversion factor. In this case the boxes are a
to the volume that 16 liters would occupy at 25 C and 0.8 mole box and a volume box.
atmospheres by multiplying 16 liters by (298/273) and by
2NaOH(aq) + H2C2O4(aq) Na2C2O4(aq) + 2H2O(l)
(1.0/0.8), which gives 21.8 liters.
liters 0.03880 0.03000
Extension to Problems That Involve a Solution 0.500 M conc. oxalic acid (0.0317 M )

Example 7 illustrates the extension of this approach to a moles 0.0190

mtom
0.0095

problem in which one of the reagents is used as a solution.

Example 7. What volume of 0.500 molar aqueous silver Thus the molarity of the oxalic acid solution is (0.0095
nitrate is required to completely precipitate the chloride ion moles)/(0.0300 liter) = 0.0317 moles per liter.
present in a solution prepared by dissolving 0.750 grams of Comments
sodium chloride in 50 mL of water? How many grams of
solid silver chloride will be produced? To emphasize the similarities between problems I insist
The approach to this problem is mapped out under the that masses be expressed as grams, chemical amounts as moles,
balanced equation. volumes of liquids as milliliters, volumes of solutions and
gases as liters, and concentrations as molarity. If the given or
AgNO3(aq) + NaCl(aq) AgCl(s) + NaNO3(aq) requested amounts are in units different from these, the unit
grams 0.750 1.839
conversions are done as preliminary steps, as in Example 7
molar mass N2 (mL converted to L), or as a final step.
molar mass NH3
moles 0.0128
mtom
0.0128 0.0128
When writing on the blackboard I systematically write
conc. AgNO3
mtom all conversion factors, the arrows that represent them, and
liters 0.0256
the corresponding calculations in yellow; everything else is
written in white.

JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu Vol. 78 No. 10 October 2001 Journal of Chemical Education 1349