Chemistry
Percent yield
The fraction of the theoretical product actually isolated.
The Formula
percent yield = actual mass / theoretical mass x 100
The fraction of the theoretical product actually isolated.
| Symbol | Meaning | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| actual mass | Actual mass | grams | The mass of product you collected, in grams. |
| theoretical mass | Theoretical mass | grams | The mass the balanced equation predicts. |
| percent yield | Percent yield | percent | The actual mass as a percentage of theory. |
What Each Symbol Means
actual massgrams
Actual mass
The mass of product you collected, in grams.
theoretical massgrams
Theoretical mass
The mass the balanced equation predicts.
percent yieldpercent
Percent yield
The actual mass as a percentage of theory.
See It Worked With Real Numbers
A formula on its own does not tell you which number goes where. The how to calculate percent yield page applies this equation to a concrete case, shows every intermediate step, and names the mistakes that produce a wrong answer even when the algebra is right.
Where This Formula Appears
This equation is the working core of How To Calculate Percent Yield, filed under Science. Every number the guide produces comes from substituting into this one line.