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Percentage Yield Formula:
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Percentage 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 percentage yield formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates what percentage of the theoretical maximum was actually achieved in the reaction.
Details: Percentage yield is crucial for evaluating reaction efficiency, optimizing processes, calculating economic viability, and identifying potential issues in chemical reactions or manufacturing processes.
Tips: Enter both actual yield and theoretical yield in grams. Both values must be positive numbers, with theoretical yield greater than zero.
Q1: What is a good percentage yield?
A: In laboratory settings, yields above 70-80% are generally considered good, though this varies by reaction type. Industrial processes often aim for yields above 90%.
Q2: Why might percentage yield be less than 100%?
A: Common reasons include incomplete reactions, side reactions, product loss during purification, measurement errors, or experimental limitations.
Q3: Can percentage yield exceed 100%?
A: Normally no. If it does, it typically indicates measurement errors, impure products, incomplete drying, or incorrect theoretical yield calculation.
Q4: How is theoretical yield calculated?
A: Theoretical yield is calculated from stoichiometry using the limiting reactant and the balanced chemical equation for the reaction.
Q5: What's the difference between percentage yield and atom economy?
A: Percentage yield measures efficiency of a specific reaction, while atom economy measures how efficiently atoms are used in a reaction overall.