Determining Percent Yield in a Chemical Reaction

It is relatively easy to calculate the mass of the product that should be produced from a
known mass of reactant. This is the theoretical yield. However, the mass of the product
actually obtained, the experimental yield, is usually less than the theoretical yield. The
relationship between these two yields is expressed in a quantity called the percentage
yield.

Materials

50 mL graduated beaker 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask

Funnel Filter paper
Glass stirring rod Balance
Drying oven Wash bottle with distilled water
10.0 mL 0.100 M lead (II) nitrate solution 10.0 mL 0.100 M potassium iodide solution

Procedure

1. Find the mass of a clean dry 50 mL beaker.

2. Carefully measure 10 mL of the 0.100 M lead (II) nitrate solution and place it into
a clean, dry 50 mL beaker.

3. Carefully measure 10 mL of the 0.100 M potassium iodide solution and add it to

the 100 mL beaker already containing the lead(II) nitrate.

4. Record any qualitative observations you see.

5. Determine the mass of the filter paper. An accurate measurement is very

important.

6. Fold the filter paper into a triangle and place it in the funnel supported by a flask.

7. Pour the mixture into the funnel using a stirring rod. Use a wash bottle of distilled
water to wash any remaining solid out of the beaker and onto the filter paper.

8. After filtering, dry the paper and any chemical remaining in the 50 mL beaker in a
drying oven set at low temperature.

9. Dry the filter paper and beaker overnight. The next day determine the mass of
the 50 mL beaker and the filter paper. Once again, accuracy is very important.
Use the same balance as you did in step 7 of the procedure.

Questions
1. Write a balanced equation for the reaction between lead (II) nitrate and
potassium iodide. Make sure to include all the phases of the reactants
and the products.

2. a. Calculate the number of moles of lead (II) nitrate present in the 10 mL

of the solution added to the beaker.
b. Calculate the number of moles of potassium iodide present in the 10 mL
of the solution added to the beaker.

3. Which reactant is in excess, Pb(NO3)2 or KI?

4. What was your average yield of precipitate?

5. Calculate the percentage yield of your reaction.

Conclusion

1. State the percentage yield of your reaction.

2. Give two reasons why the yield might be below 100%.