What is the general procedure for solving a stoichiometric problem?

Answer 1

You can write a series of simultaneous equations, one for each type of atom. For example, in the reaction to produce water: aH2 + bO2 --> cH2O, you want to find out the coefficients a, b, and c, so you write the following equations:

For atom H: 2a = 2c

For atom O: 2b = c

Note that you only have two equations, for three unknowns. This is common in this case; after all, you won't find out, in absolute terms, how much of each reactant you need; only the relationship between them. Solving the equations, you get the relative amounts of the substances.

Answer 2

1. Write a balanced chemical equation.
2. Convert given quantities (mass, volume, moles) to moles.
3. Use the mole ratios from the balanced equation to calculate the moles of the desired substance.
4. Convert moles back to the desired units (mass, volume, etc.) if needed.

Answer 3

You can convert from grams of one substance to grams of another and vise versa, or grams to volume and vise versa, etc. Basically you can use stoicheometric calculations to convert from any known measurement of one substance to another measurement of a different substance, provided you have a chemical equation and the information needed to do so.