Answer:
HCl
Explanation:
A limiting reactant is the lowest amount of reactant so that the reaction will stop after all that reactant used.
To answer this question, you have to change all reactant units into moles. You have 52g HCl and its molecular mass is 36.46g/mole. The number of HCl in moles will be: 52g/ (36.46g/mole)= 1.43 moles.
In the balanced reaction formula, you can see that you need one mole of HCl and one mole of NaOH for each reaction. Both molecule's coefficient is 1.
If we used up all NaOH, then the number of HCl left will be:
(moles of NaOH used * NaOH coefficient) - (moles of HCl used * HCl coefficient)
(moles of HCl you have * HCl coefficient) - (moles of NaOH used * NaOH coefficient)
(1.43 moles *1 ) - (2.5 moles*1 ) = -1.07 mole
Since the result is minus, then it means we need more HCl and we can't use all NaOH.
If we used up all the HCl, then the number of NaOH left will be:
(moles of NaOH you have* NaOH coefficient) - (moles of HCl used * HCl coefficient)
(2.5 moles*1 )- (1.43 moles *1 )= 1.07 moles
Since the result is plus, then it means we can use all HCl. Then HCl is the limiting reactant