The Struggle of Stoichiometry
We get it! This stuff is tricky. Our Manhattan Beach Chemistry Tutors have created a great outline to help assist you with all of your stoichiometry needs. Take your time and follow our step-by-step guide to solving a stoichiometry problem. Here we go!
Think of these problems as a recipe. If a cake recipe calls for 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of flour to make 1 cake, how many cups of sugar and flour do we need for 5 cakes? This is stoichiometry. The sugar and flour are our reactants and the cake is our product. Also- we need to measure sugar and flour in a universal unit in order to compare. We don’t measure them in weight because or number of particles, because these can vary based on the size of the sugar and flour particles. Instead, we measure them in something universally recognized and standardized: the cup. In stoichiometry, we use the universal unit called a mole (6.022 x 1023 atoms/particles). We use moles when comparing molecules.
Let’s try a problem!
- Write out your reaction. Be sure to pay close attention to your charges. Keep a polyatomic ion chart handy for this. Remember, cations come first, anions come second.
- Balance your equations. Save Oxygen for second to last and Hydrogen for last. This will save you a lot of time.
- Understand what the question is asking. Am I given grams? Am I given moles? Are they asking me to answer in moles, grams, or particles/molecules?
- Write the given amount under your ion/compound and draw an arrow to the ion/compound they want you to answer with.
- Set up your problem. Remember to use your mole-to-mole ratio. Those coefficients are there for a reason!
- Answer in the correct number of significant figures and box your answer.
- Double-check your work. Did you answer the original question?
Great job! You’re a stoichiometry master. If you’re still confused, come see one of our Manhattan Beach Chemistry tutors today!
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