What is Stoichiometry?
Stoichiometry is the mathematics behind the science of chemistry. Using known physical laws such as the law of conservation of mass and the law of definite proportions, stoichiometry is used to gather information about the amounts of various elements used in a chemical reaction, and whether they took the form of gases, solids, or liquids. Using mathematics, someone can determine the quantities of particular elements needed to create a desired reaction, or the quantities used in the generation of a reaction which has already occurred. Beginning chemistry classes typically include an introduction to stoichiometry, in which students are asked to balance chemical equations on their homework in and class. Stoichiometry relies on the fact that elements behave in predictable ways, and that matter cannot be created or destroyed. Therefore, when elements are combined to create a reaction, something known and specific will happen, and the outcome of the reaction can be predicted on the basis of
It’s not just a funny word–> Stoichiometry is a very important, useful and mathy part of chemistry. Stoichiometry deals with calculations about the masses (sometimes volumes) of reactants and products involved in a chemical reaction. If you understand how it works, it really isn’t that hard. Stoichiometry allows a chemist or scientist to know how much of an element or reactant to use, how much product is expected to come out of the reaction, and how to express different amounts of a substance in many units of measurement. So get ready, get set, and get excited to start learning about stoichiometry!
The Meaning of the Word The word stoichiometry derives from two Greek words: stoicheion (meaning “element”) and metron (meaning “measure”). Stoichiometry deals with calculations about the masses (sometimes volumes) of reactants and products involved in a chemical reaction. It is a very mathematical part of chemistry, so be prepared for lots of calculator use. Jeremias Benjaim Richter (1762-1807) was the first to lay down the principles of stoichiometry. In 1792 he wrote: “Die stöchyometrie (Stöchyometria) ist die Wissenschaft die quantitativen oder Massenverhältnisse zu messen, in welchen die chymischen Elemente gegen einander stehen.” [Stoichiometry is the science of measuring the quantitative proportions or mass ratios in which chemical elements stand to one another.] What You Should Expect The most common stoichiometric problem will present you with a certain amount of a reactant and then ask how much of a product can be formed.
Stoichiometry is the quantitative description of the _______________________________ of the substances in a chemical reaction. When doing experiments, it is unscientific and dangerous to _______________________________ in a haphazard manner. Before any practical laboratory work is done, chemists almost always start with a balanced reaction equation. This is true for a reaction that we know works, or for one that we predict will work. A _______________________________ helps tell the reaction’s stoichiometry. The stoichiometry of a reaction is the description of the relative quantities by moles of the reactants and products as they appear by the _______________________________ of the balanced equation. Stoichiometry is the molar bookkeeping of chemistry, and in nature the books must balance. Quantitative information is only available through its stoichiometry. This applies to the pure study of chemistry, but also to the uses of chemistry in a wide variety of fields such as agriculture, c
