---
title: "The particulate diagrams above represent the contents of a rigid, closed container before and after a reaction between \\(\\text{CO(g)}\\) and \\(\\text{O}_2\\text{(g)}\\) occurs to produce \\(\\text{CO}_2\\text{(g)}\\). Based on the diagrams, which of the following statements correctly identifies the limiting reactant and provides the correct justification?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119239/"
date_modified: "2026-08-19T12:39:30+00:00"
---

# The particulate diagrams above represent the contents of a rigid, closed container before and after a reaction between \(\text{CO(g)}\) and \(\text{O}_2\text{(g)}\) occurs to produce \(\text{CO}_2\text{(g)}\). Based on the diagrams, which of the following statements correctly identifies the limiting reactant and provides the correct justification?

The particulate diagrams above represent the contents of a rigid, closed container before and after a reaction between \(\text{CO(g)}\) and \(\text{O}_2\text{(g)}\) occurs to produce \(\text{CO}_2\text{(g)}\). Based on the diagrams, which of the following statements correctly identifies the limiting reactant and provides the correct justification?

![A particulate diagram showing two identical square boxes labeled Container 1 (Before Reaction) and Container 2 (After Reaction), with a legend on the right. The legend defines: a solid black circle = C atom, an open white circle = O atom. A bonded pair of 1 solid black circle and 1 open white circle = CO molecule. A bonded pair of 2 open white circles = O2 molecule. A linear bonded trio of 1 solid black circle between 2 open white circles = CO2 molecule. Container 1 contains exactly 6 CO molecules and exactly 4 O2 molecules, dispersed evenly. Container 2 contains exactly 6 CO2 molecules and exactly 1 O2 molecule, with 0 CO molecules remaining. No other particles, labels, text, or annotations appear.](https://nerd-notes.com/wp-content/uploads/ubq-frq-generated/stem-fig-1-1787143170-f47NsV.jpg)

- **A.** \(\text{CO(g)}\) is the limiting reactant because all 6 molecules of \(\text{CO(g)}\) are completely consumed to form 6 molecules of \(\text{CO}_2\text{(g)}\), leaving 1 unreacted molecule of \(\text{O}_2\text{(g)}\).
- **B.** \(\text{O}_2\text{(g)}\) is the limiting reactant because it has a smaller stoichiometric coefficient than \(\text{CO(g)}\) in the balanced chemical equation \(2\,\text{CO(g)} + \text{O}_2\text{(g)} \rightarrow 2\,\text{CO}_2\text{(g)}\).
- **C.** \(\text{CO(g)}\) is the limiting reactant because it reacts with \(\text{O}_2\text{(g)}\) in a 1:1 mole ratio, consuming 4 molecules of \(\text{CO(g)}\) and 4 molecules of \(\text{O}_2\text{(g)}\).
- **D.** \(\text{O}_2\text{(g)}\) is the limiting reactant because there are fewer molecules of \(\text{O}_2\text{(g)}\) (4 molecules) than \(\text{CO(g)}\) (6 molecules) in the initial mixture.

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119239/*