1. What is Percent Yield?

Percent yield is a measure of the efficiency of a chemical reaction or process that compares the actual yield (what you actually obtain) to the theoretical yield (the maximum possible amount that could be obtained under perfect conditions).

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the percent yield formula:

Where:

• Actual Yield — The amount of product actually obtained from the reaction (in grams)
• Theoretical Yield — The maximum possible amount of product that could be obtained (in grams)

Explanation: The formula calculates what percentage of the theoretical maximum you actually obtained in your experiment.

3. Importance of Percent Yield

Details: Percent yield is crucial in chemistry for evaluating reaction efficiency, identifying potential problems in experimental procedures, and comparing different synthetic methods.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter both actual and theoretical yields in grams. Both values must be positive numbers. The theoretical yield should be calculated based on stoichiometric calculations before using this calculator.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is a good percent yield?
A: In organic chemistry, yields of 50-90% are generally considered good, though this varies by reaction type. Yields approaching 100% are rare in practice.

Q2: Why is percent yield important?
A: It helps chemists evaluate reaction efficiency, identify losses (from side reactions, incomplete reactions, or purification steps), and optimize procedures.

Q3: Can percent yield be over 100%?
A: Normally no. If it is, this suggests impurities in the product, incorrect measurements, or an error in theoretical yield calculation.

Q4: How do I calculate theoretical yield?
A: Theoretical yield is calculated using stoichiometry from the balanced chemical equation, based on the limiting reagent.

Q5: What factors affect percent yield?
A: Factors include incomplete reactions, side reactions, purification losses, measurement errors, and competing reactions.