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).

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the percent yield equation:

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 stoichiometry (grams or moles)

Explanation: The equation 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.

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.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is a good percent yield?
A: While 100% is ideal, most reactions have yields between 50-90%. Yields below 40% may indicate problems.

Q2: Why is percent yield never 100%?
A: Side reactions, incomplete reactions, product loss during purification, and measurement errors all contribute to less than perfect yields.

Q3: Can percent yield be over 100%?
A: Yes, but this usually indicates impurities, measurement errors, or incomplete drying of the product.

Q4: How do I improve percent yield?
A: Optimize reaction conditions, use pure reagents, ensure complete reaction, and minimize product loss during workup.

Q5: What's the difference between actual and theoretical yield?
A: Theoretical is calculated from stoichiometry; actual is what you measure from your experiment.