Question

What is the theoretical yield for a reaction, and how does this quantity depend on the limiting reactant?

Short answer

The theoretical yield is the maximum amount of product that can be formed in a chemical reaction based on the stoichiometric ratios of the reactants in the balanced chemical equation. This ideal value assumes complete conversion of reactants to products without side reactions or losses. The theoretical yield depends on the limiting reactant, which is the reactant that gets completely consumed and restricts the amount of product formed. To calculate the theoretical yield, write the balanced chemical equation, convert given masses of reactants into moles, determine the limiting reactant, calculate the moles of product formed using stoichiometry, and finally convert the moles of product formed into the desired unit using its molar mass.

Step-by-step solution

Define Theoretical Yield

The theoretical yield is the maximum amount of product that can be formed from a given set of reactants in a chemical reaction based on the stoichiometric ratios of the balanced chemical equation. It is an ideal value that assumes complete conversion of the reactants to the products without any side reactions or losses.

Explain Limiting Reactant

In a chemical reaction, the reactant that gets completely consumed and limits the amount of product that can be formed is called the limiting reactant. It is determined by comparing the mole ratios of the reactants to the balanced chemical equation. Whichever reactant runs out first limits the formation of the product, thus affecting the theoretical yield of the reaction.

Relationship between Theoretical Yield and Limiting Reactant

The theoretical yield of a reaction depends on the limiting reactant because it is the reactant that determines the maximum amount of the product that can be formed. If there were an excess of the limiting reactant, more product could have been formed. Hence, the theoretical yield is based on the amount of limiting reactant present in the reaction.

Calculating Theoretical Yield

To calculate the theoretical yield, follow these steps: 1. Write the balanced chemical equation for the reaction. 2. Convert the given masses (or moles) of each reactant into moles using their molar masses. 3. Determine the limiting reactant by comparing the mole ratios of the reactants based on the balanced chemical equation. 4. Calculate the moles of product formed using the stoichiometry from the balanced chemical equation with respect to the limiting reactant. 5. Convert the moles of product formed into the desired unit (grams or other units) using its molar mass. The theoretical yield can be reported as moles or mass, depending on the requirement.