Question

How many moles of `CO` and `O_2` are required to produce 10 moles of `CO_2` in the reaction `2CO + O_2 -> 2CO_2`?

Answer 1

`"10 mol CO"` and `"5 mol O"_2"` are required to produce `"10 mol CO"_2"`.

Explanation:

Balanced equation

`"2CO"("g") + "O"_2("g")"` `rarr` `"2CO"_2("g")"`

To calculate moles `"CO"` and `"O"_2"` required to produce `"10 mol CO"_2"`, multiply mol `"CO"_2"` by the mol ratio between the desired reactant and `"CO"_2"` in the balanced equation, with the desired reactant in the numerator.

`10color(red)cancel(color(black)("mol CO"_2))xx(2"mol CO")/(2color(red)cancel(color(black)("mol CO"_2)))="10 mol CO"`

`10color(red)cancel(color(black)("mol CO"_2))xx(1"mol O"_2)/(2color(red)cancel(color(black)("mol CO"_2)))="5 mol O"_2"`