Percent Yield

About Percent Yield

The percent yield is the actual yield divided by the theoretical yield. Yield is a measure of the number of moles of a product created in a chemical reaction in relation to the amount of reactant consumed, usually represented as a percentage. The percentage yield is the difference between the actual amount of product produced and the maximum calculated yield.

In chemistry, the percent yield is the weight of the product obtained divided by the theoretical yield. To represent the final answer in percent, divide the experimental yield by the theoretical yield and multiply the result by 100. Because the actual yield produced after the reaction is generally less than the theoretical value, the percent yield is usually less than 100 percent. This could be due to a delayed reaction. Percent yield can also be more than 100%, indicating that more sample was recovered from the reaction than was projected initially. The yield on investment is usually positive.

Percentage Yield Example

To better grasp the idea of percent yield, consider the breakdown of magnesium oxide.

MgCO3→ MgO + CO2

This means we'll obtain 1 mole of product [MgO] for 1 mole of reactant [MgCO3], or a 1:1 mole ratio between reactant and product. We can calculate the theoretical yield by comparing the mole ratio to the amount of reactant. Divide the actual yield by the theoretical number to get the percentage yield.

Percent Yield Formula

The experimental yield divided by the theoretical yield multiplied by 100 is the percentage yield formula. The percent yield is 100 percent if the actual and theoretical yields are equal. Because the actual yield is generally lower than the theoretical value, the percent yield is usually less than 100 percent.

Percentage Yield=Actual YieldTheoretical Yield×100%

Formula to Calculate Percent Yield

  • The percent yield is calculated using the following formula:
  • Percentage Yield=Actual YieldTheoretical Yield×100%
  • The amount of product obtained from a chemical reaction is known as the actual yield.
  • Theoretical yield is the amount of product produced by solving the stoichiometric or balanced equation with the limiting reactant as the limiting reactant.
  • The real and theoretical yields must have the same units (moles or grams)

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Percent Yield
Percent Yield

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