How do you calculate the yield and purity of a chemical reaction?

The yield of a chemical reaction is calculated by comparing the actual amount of product to the theoretical amount, while purity is determined by comparing the actual amount of product to the pure product.

The yield of a chemical reaction refers to the amount of product produced. It is usually expressed as a percentage of the theoretical yield, which is the maximum amount of product that could be produced from the given reactants. To calculate the yield, you first need to determine the actual yield, which is the amount of product you actually obtained from the reaction. Then, divide the actual yield by the theoretical yield and multiply by 100 to get the percentage yield.

For example, if the theoretical yield of a reaction is 10 grams and the actual yield is 8 grams, the yield would be (8/10) x 100 = 80%.

Purity, on the other hand, refers to the amount of a specific substance in a sample, compared to the total amount of material present. It is also expressed as a percentage. To calculate purity, you divide the mass of the pure substance (the actual yield) by the total mass of the sample and multiply by 100.

For instance, if you have a sample weighing 10 grams and it contains 8 grams of the desired product, the purity would be (8/10) x 100 = 80%.

In both cases, it's important to remember that these calculations are based on the assumption that the reaction goes to completion, which is not always the case in real-world situations. Factors such as side reactions, incomplete reactions, and losses during purification can all affect the yield and purity of a chemical reaction.