Percent Yield Formula:
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Percent yield is a measure of the efficiency of a chemical reaction or process. It compares the actual amount of product obtained (actual yield) to the maximum possible amount that could be produced (theoretical yield) under ideal conditions.
The calculator uses the percent yield formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates what percentage of the theoretical maximum was actually achieved in the reaction.
Details: Percent yield is crucial for evaluating reaction efficiency, optimizing processes, calculating economic viability, and identifying potential issues in chemical synthesis.
Tips: Enter both actual yield and theoretical yield in grams. Both values must be positive numbers. The result will be displayed as a percentage.
Q1: What is a good percent yield?
A: In most chemical reactions, a yield of 90% or higher is considered excellent, while yields between 70-90% are good. Yields below 50% may indicate problems with the reaction.
Q2: Why is percent yield never 100%?
A: Percent yield is rarely 100% due to incomplete reactions, side reactions, product loss during purification, measurement errors, or experimental limitations.
Q3: Can percent yield be greater than 100%?
A: Yes, but this usually indicates impurities in the product, incorrect measurement, incomplete drying, or calculation errors in the theoretical yield.
Q4: How does percent yield differ from atom economy?
A: Percent yield measures efficiency of a specific reaction, while atom economy evaluates how efficiently atoms are used in a reaction, considering all reactants.
Q5: What factors affect percent yield?
A: Temperature, pressure, catalyst efficiency, reaction time, purity of reactants, and skill of the chemist can all impact the percent yield.