We don't live in an ideal world. Humans aren't able to measure exact quantities
of substances; not even specially designed machines are completely reliable. In
any reaction, there will always be one reactant that you should have added more
of. However, even if you were a superhuman and could measure perfectly, you
still would be unsure of the results of your reaction.
Chemical reactions never completely consume reactants. You will always only get
a percentage of the product you think you will. Chemical reactions are not just
equations that you write down on paper; they are living works of nature that
produce heat and energy.
This lesson provides you with all the real-life details you need to know about
Stoichiometry. You will learn about limiting
reagents, percent
yield, heat of
reaction, and energy
changes.