Editing Limiting factor (section)

==Chemistry==
In [[stoichiometry]] of a [[chemical reaction]] to produce a chemical product, it may be observed or predicted that with amounts supplied in specified proportions, one of the reactants will be consumed by the reaction before the others. The supply of this reagent thus limits the amount of product. This [[limiting reagent]] determines the theoretical [[Yield (chemistry)|yield]] of the reaction.  The other reactants are said to be non-limiting or in excess.  This distinction makes sense only when the [[chemical equilibrium]] so favors the products to cause the complete consumption of one of the reactants.

In studies of [[reaction kinetics]], the rate of progress of the reaction may be limited by the [[concentration]] of one of the reactants or [[Catalysis|catalyst]].  In multi-step reactions, a step may be rate-limiting in terms of the production of the final product.  ''In vivo'', in an [[organism]] or an [[Ecology|ecologic system]], such factors as those may be rate-limiting, or in the overall analysis of a multi-step process including [[Biology|biologic]], [[Geology|geologic]], [[Hydrology|hydrologic]], or [[Atmosphere|atmospheric]] transport and [[chemical reaction]]s, transport of a reactant may be limiting.