Acetyl salicylic acid commonly known as Aspirin. It is prepared by the reaction of salicylic acid and acetic anhydride (as shown below).
If 10 ml of salicylic acid (1.443 g/mL) reacts with 15 ml of acetic anhydride (1.082 g/mL), the limiting reagent is _____.

Question

Acetyl salicylic acid commonly known as Aspirin. It is prepared by the reaction of salicylic acid and acetic anhydride (as shown below). 
If 10 ml of salicylic acid (1.443 g/mL) reacts with 15 ml of acetic anhydride (1.082 g/mL), the limiting reagent is _____.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To determine the limiting reagent, we need to compare the amount of each reactant in moles to see which one is present in the smallest quantity. 
First, we need to find the mass of each reactant used:
mass of salicylic acid = volume x density = 10 mL x 1.443 g/mL = 14.43 g
mass of acetic anhydride = volume x density = 15 mL x 1.082 g/mL = 16.23 g
Next, we can convert the mass of each reactant to moles using their molar masses:
moles of salicylic acid = 14.43 g / 138.12 g/mol = 0.1043 mol
moles of acetic anhydride = 16.23 g / 102.09 g/mol = 0.1591 mol
Thus, salicylic acid is the limiting reagent since it is present in the smallest quantity. Therefore, the answer is choice E.

Acetyl Salicylic Acid Commonly Known as Aspirin