Percent Yield Calculator

Percent Yield Formula:

\[ \text{Yield} = \left( \frac{\text{Actual Yield}}{\text{Theoretical Yield}} \right) \times 100\% \]

Percent Yield:

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1. What is Percent Yield?

Percent yield is a measure of the efficiency of a chemical reaction. It compares the actual yield (what you actually obtained) to the theoretical yield (the maximum possible amount that could be produced based on stoichiometry).

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the percent yield formula:

\[ \text{Yield} = \left( \frac{\text{Actual Yield}}{\text{Theoretical Yield}} \right) \times 100\% \]

Where:

Actual Yield — The amount of product actually obtained from the reaction (grams or moles)
Theoretical Yield — The maximum amount of product that could be produced based on stoichiometric calculations (grams or moles)

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

3. Importance of Percent Yield

Details: Percent yield helps chemists evaluate reaction efficiency, identify potential problems in experimental procedures, and optimize reaction conditions. In industrial applications, it's crucial for cost analysis and process improvement.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter both actual and theoretical yields in the same units (either grams or moles). Both values must be positive numbers. The theoretical yield should be calculated from stoichiometric equations before using this calculator.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is a good percent yield?
A: In organic chemistry, yields of 70-90% are generally good, while yields above 90% are excellent. However, this varies by reaction type.

Q2: Why might percent yield be less than 100%?
A: Possible reasons include incomplete reactions, side reactions, loss during purification, or measurement errors.

Q3: Can percent yield be greater than 100%?
A: Yes, though this usually indicates impurities in the product or errors in measuring either the actual or theoretical yield.

Q4: How do I calculate theoretical yield?
A: Use stoichiometric calculations based on the limiting reactant. Convert moles of limiting reactant to moles of product, then to grams if needed.

Q5: Does percent yield affect atom economy?
A: No, they're different concepts. Atom economy considers all atoms in reactants, while percent yield compares actual to theoretical product.