Quick q - benzoic acid and % yeild

[_Greg_]

i'v synthesized benzoic acid from benzyl alcohol and i have a theoretical value for the yield and and experimental yield of impure acid.

Theoretical Yield = 5.93g
Impure Yield from experiment = 6.13g

Now, my paper asks for the percentage yield of my impure acid, how does that work?

If i do:
6.13/5.93 x 100 then I am going to get a percentage yield of 103.4%

Is that right? surely i can get a yield greater than 100% ?

Later in the experiment it asks for the yield of pure acid which i have done with a reasonable %, i just don't understand it for the impure acid.

 

[chemisttree]

Your yield for a crude material can be anything... even >100%. You must explain (rationalize) the impurity in your discussion and suggest a method for its removal.

 

[Blueshift5]

Yes, your calculation for the percentage yield of the impure acid is correct. It is possible to have a yield greater than 100% in some cases, particularly if there are impurities present in the final product. This can happen if the impurities add to the weight of the product, resulting in a higher yield. However, it is important to note that a yield greater than 100% is not ideal and could indicate errors in the experiment or calculations. It is always best to strive for a yield as close to 100% as possible. As for the yield of pure acid, it is likely that you used a purification method to remove impurities and obtain a more accurate yield. This may explain the difference in the percentage yield for the impure and pure acid.