Percentage Yield
Percentage Yield
Percent Yield =
Once again it's time for an example problem: Problem: What is the percent yield of the following reaction if 60 grams ofCaCO3 is heated to give 15 grams of CaO? CaCO3CaO + CO2 Solution: Ideally, how many grams of CaO should be produced? First verify the equation is balanced; it is. Now convert to moles, based on the amount ofCaCO3 present.
So, ideally, 33.6 grams of CaO should have been produced in this reaction. This is the theoretical yield. However, the problem tells us that only 15 grams were produced. 15 grams is the actual yield. It is now a simple matter to find percent yield.
= 0.446 = 44.6%
Problem : If the percent yield of the following equation is 55%, how many moles of H2SO4 are produced when 44.8 L of SO3 are combined with excess water? SO3(g) + H2O(l)H2SO4(aq) The equation is balanced, so convert to moles.
= 2 moles SO3(g)
Now calculate the theoretical yield. How many moles of H2SO4(aq) should we get? = 2 moles H2SO4(aq)
55% = 0.55 = Actual Yield/(2 moles H2SO4(aq)) 2 moles H2SO4(aq)0.55 = 1.1 moles H2SO4(aq)
LIMITING REACTANT
Problem: Salt (sodium chloride) is prepared by the reaction of sodium metal with chlorine gas. 2Na(s) + Cl2(g)2NaCl(s)
You have 71.68 L of Cl2(g) and 6.7 moles of Na(s). What is the limiting reagent? How many moles of salt are produced? Solution: Did you check to make sure the equation was balanced? It already is, but give yourself a congratulatory punch in the shoulder if you remembered (don't hurt yourself). Our next step, as always is to convert to moles.
So now we know there is 3.2 moles of Cl2(g) and 6.7 moles of Na(s). Let's assume Na(s) is the limiting reagent and then prove our assumption right or wrong. How many moles of Na(s) are required to react completely with 3.2 moles of Cl2(g) ? Use the mole ratio. = 6.4 moles Na(s)
Do you have 6.4 moles of Na(s)? Yes, you do. You have 6.7 moles of Na(s). This is more than enough to react with all the Cl2(g) . Our assumption was wrong, Na(s) is not the limiting reagent since there is more than enough of the solid. Since this reaction features only two reactants, we already know that Cl2(g) is the limiting reagent. Let's prove it.
3.35 moles of Cl2(g) are needed to react completely with all the Na(s). You have only 3.2 moles. Cl2(g) is obviously the limiting reagent. Now let's figure out how many moles of salt (NaCL) are produced. We want to use the mole ratio from Cl2(g) since it has determined how many moles of each reactant will react.