Angelica Joyce de Ocampo IV-Guerrero

Theoretical and Actual Yields

Reactants not completely used up are called excess reagent, and the reactant completely reacts is called limiting reagent. This concept has been illustrated for the reaction: 2 Na + Cl2 = 2 NaCl, Amounts of products calculated from the complete reaction of the limiting reagent is called theoretical yields, whereas the amount actually produced of a product is the actual yield. The ratio of actual yield to theoretical yield expressed in percentage is called the percentage yield.
actual yield percent yield = ----------------- x 100 theoretical yield

Chemical reaction equations give the ideal stoichiometric relationship among reactants and products. Thus, the theoretical yield can be calculated from reaction stoichiometry. For many chemical reactions, the actual yield is usually less than the theoretical yield, understandably due to loss in the process or inefficiency of the chemical reaction. Example 1 Methyl alcohol can be produced in a high-pressure reaction CO(g) + 2 H2(g) = CH3OH(l) If 6.1 metric tones of methyl alcohol is obtained from 1.2 metric tones of hydrogen reacting with excess amount of CO, estimate the theoretical and the percentage yield? Hint... To calculate the theoretical yield, consider the reaction
CO(g) + 2 H2(g) = CH3OH(l) 28.0 4.0 32.0 (stoichiometric masses in g, kg, or tons)

32.0 CH3OH 1.2 tons H2 ------------ = 9.6 tones CH3OH 4.0 H2

Thus, the theoretical yield from 1.2 metric tons (1.2x106 g) of hydrogen gas is 9.6 tons. The actual yield is stated in the problem, 6.1 metric tons. Thus, the percentage yield is
% yield = 6.1 tones -------------9.6 tones x 100 = 64 %

Discussion... Due to chemical equilibrium or the mass action law, the limiting reagent may not be completely consumed. Thus, a lower yield is expected in some cases. A loss during the recovery process causes even lower actual yield.

Example 2 A solution containing silver ion, Ag+, has been treated with excess of chloride ions Cl-. When dried, 0.1234 g of AgCl has recovered. Assume the percentage yield to be 98.7%, how many grams of silver ions were present in the solution? Hint... The reaction and relative masses of reagents and product are:
Ag+(aq) + Cl-(aq) = AgCl(s) 107.868 + 35.453 = 143.321

The calculation,

107.868 g Ag+ 0.1234 g AgCl --------------- = 0.09287 g Ag+. 143.321 g AgCl

shows that 0.1234 g dry AgCl comes from 0.09287 g Ag+ ions. Since the actual yield is only 98.7%, the actual amount of Ag+ ions present is therefore,
0.09287 g Ag+ -------------- = 0.09409 g Ag+ 0.987

Discussion... One can also calculate the theoretical yield of AgCl from the percentage yield of 98.7% to be,
0.1234 g AgCl ------------- = 0.1250 g AgCl 0.987

From 0.1250 g AgCl, the amount of Ag+ present is also 0.09409 g.