actual vs. theoretical yield [ENDORSED]

[Husnia Safi - 1K]

What is the difference?

[Endri Dis 1J]

Theoretical yield is the calculated amount of product based on factors for the reaction to occur.

While the actual yield is the measured amount from the actual experiment which is often less than the theoretical yield because of factors that affect the reaction.

[YeseniaGomez_1L]

Adding on, theoretical yield is calculated using the amount of reactants to figure the maximum amount of product. This is because theoretical yield assumes best case scenario, that everything in the experiment will go perfectly planned but there is cases in real life where some of the reactants, for example, gets stuck on the side of the beaker (this is not accounted for in theoretical yield). You could also try to think of it as it is called theoretical yield because this is all in theory that everything goes perfectly well. Then, you could think of actual yield as what actually happens during the experiment, so actual yield would account for the reactants sticking to the side of the beaker.

[Nicole Shak 1L]

Usually in a problem with calculating the percentage yield, you will be given the actual yield, which is less than the theoretical yield that you will be calculating. So an easy way to check your work in a problem like this is to make sure that the theoretical yield you calculate is more than the actual yield given.

[Melissa_Aguirre1J]

The actual yield is the amount of the product that has actually been produced, which is usually less than the theoretical yield. The theoretical yield is the amount of the product that could be formed, once all of the limiting reactant has been completely consumed.

[Adam Yaptangco 1D]

Theoretical yield is the amount of products the reactants will make under perfect conditions while the actual yield is the amount of products that the reaction produces. The discrepancies are caused by side reactions, reactants sticking to the flask, etc...

[Maria Zamarripa 1L]

i believe that Theoretical is the ration of the elements and the actual is the actual amount