What is limiting reactant in chemistry?

Chemistry: Limiting reactant question? Ten points...?

• There is one problem that I cannot figure out, even though limiting reactant equations are usually simple. To be honest, I'm not looking for the answer to the question, just if someone can figure out what I'm doing wrong. Question: In the below equation, what is the limiting reactant in forming Ti? TiO2(s) + 2C(s) --> Ti(s) + 2CO(g) And you have 28.6kg of C, and 88.2kg of TiO2 The answer is TiO2, but I keep on getting C: TiO2= 88200g, which is equal to 1104.29 moles TiO2 [by dividing 88200 by 79.87] which would create 1104.29 moles of Ti. C= 28600g, which is equal to 2041.4 moles of C [by dividing 28600 by 14.01] which would create [when devided by 2] 1020.7 moles of Ti. From my reasoning, "C" creates less Ti and should be the limiting factor. What's wrong? Please help, and thank you in advance (for reading this far at least).

• Answer:

  If you look at the molar ratio in the equation it tells you that you need 2 moles of C for every 1 mole of TiO2. The given information says you have 28.6 kg C and 88.2kg TiO2. 28.6 is clearly not twice as much as 88.2. I don't know what answer key you're reading, but the answer is clearly C(s).