Compositional Stoichiometry vs Reaction Stoichiometry: What's the Difference?

What is the difference between compositional stoichiometry and reaction stoichiometry?

Is it about the calculations involved or the focus of the problems?

Answer:

Compositional stoichiometry involves calculations related to the composition of substances, while reaction stoichiometry revolves around the quantitative relationships of reactants and products in chemical reactions using stoichiometric factors from balanced equations.

Compositional Stoichiometry vs Reaction Stoichiometry
The difference between compositional stoichiometry and reaction stoichiometry lies in the focus of the calculations. Compositional stoichiometry problems typically involve calculating the percentage by mass of each element in a substance, or determining the formula of a substance based on its percentage composition. Reaction stoichiometry, on the other hand, deals with the calculation of the quantities of reactants and products in a chemical reaction based on the quantitative relationship between reactants and products. This involves using stoichiometric factors derived from balanced chemical equations to calculate various quantities such as volumes, masses, and concentrations of reactants and products. An understanding of gas laws may also be necessary when dealing with gaseous reactants or products.

It is essential to consider the balanced chemical equation, which provides the stoichiometric factors needed for the calculations, ensuring that no atoms are missing or created spontaneously in the reaction. The difference between the two types of stoichiometry lies in the specific objectives of the problems presented.