Percent Yield

Theoretical, Actual, and Percent Yield

Theoretical yield
The maximum amount of product calculated using the balanced equation.

Actual yield
The amount of product obtained when the reaction takes place.

Percent yield
The ratio of actual yield to theoretical yield.
Percent yield = actual yield (g) x 100
theoretical yield (g)

EXAMPLES:
1. Without proper ventilation and limited oxygen, the reaction of carbon and oxygen produces carbon monoxide.
2C(g) + O2(g) 2CO(g)
What is the percent yield if 40.0 g of CO is produced when 30.0 g of O2 is used?
Given: 40.0 g of CO produced (actual)
30.0 g of O2 used
Need: percent yield of CO
Solution: 30.0 g O2 x 1 mol O2 x 2 mol CO x 28.01 g CO
32.00 g O2 1 mol O2 1 mol CO
Answer: = 52.5 g of CO (theoretical)
Percent yield:
40.0 g CO (actual) x 100 = 76.2% yield
52.5 g CO (theoretical)
2. When N2 and 5.00 g of H2 are mixed, the reaction produces 16.0 g of NH3. What is the percent yield for the
reaction?
N2 (g) + 3H2(g) 2NH3(g)
Given: 16.0 g of NH3 produced (actual)
5.00 g of H2
Need percent yield of NH3
Solution: 5.00 g H2 x 1 mol H2 x 2 mol NH3 x 17.03 g NH3
2.016 g H2 3 mol H2 1 mol NH3
= 28.2 g of NH3 (theoretical)
Percent yield = 16.0 g NH3 x 100
28.2 g NH3
Answer: = 56.7 %

3. When reacting Na with Cl2, we calculated that the theoretical yield should be 24.2 grams. Our actual yield was 15
grams. What is the percent yield?
Given: 24.2 g (theoretical)
15 g (actual)
Find: % yield=?
Solution:
%= actual/ theoretical x 100
=15g/24.2g x 100
=0.62 x 100
Answer: =62%
4. Your percent yield is 65.2%. The actual amount of product produced was 18.1 grams. What is the theoretical yield?
Given: 65.2% (% yield)
18.1 g (actual)
Find: theoretical=?
Solution:
%= actual/ theoretical x 100 0.652= 18.1g / x
Answer: x= 18.1g / 0.652 = 27.76g
% yield = 65.2/100
= 0.652
 Limiting reactants
What is a Limiting Reactant?

 It is the reactant in a reaction that determines how much product can be made.
 It is whatever reactant you have the least amount of.
How do you know this is a limiting reactant problem?
• When the mass of two reactants are given

Use the steps below to solve the following problem to determine the limiting reactant.
1. Write a balanced equation.
2. Do a separate mass to mass problem starting with each reactant. The smaller answer is correct.

To find out how much of the excess reactant is left over,

1. Start with the initial mass of the limiting reactant and
2. Do a mass to mass problem to determine how much of the excess reactant was needed.
3. Subtract that value from the initial mass of the excess reactant.

Examples:
1. A 2.00 g sample of ammonia (NH3) is mixed with 4.00 g of oxygen (O2). Which is the limiting reactant
and how much excess reactant remains after the reaction has stopped?
First, we need to create a balanced equation for the reaction:
4 NH3(g) + 5 O2(g) 4 NO(g) + 6 H2O(g)
Calculate how many moles of each?

The excess:

2. When 4.00 mol H2 is mixed with 2.00 mol Cl2, how many moles of HCl can form?
H2(g) + Cl(g) 2HCl (g)
4.00 mol 2.00 mol ??? mol

Calculate the moles of product from each reactant, H2 and Cl2.

How much HCl can be formed from the H2 ?
4.00 mol H2 x 2 mol HCl = 8.00 mol HCl
1 mol H2
HCl from Cl2
2.00 mol Cl2 x 2 mol HCl = 4.00 mol HCl
1 mol Cl2 (smaller number)

The limiting reactant is Cl2 because it is used up first. Thus Cl2 produces the smaller number of moles of
HCl.