The actual yield is the measured amount of product that is actually obtained from a chemical reaction in the laboratory or industry.
Unlike the theoretical yield, which is the maximum possible product calculated from stoichiometry, the actual yield is usually less because of:
- Incomplete reactions (not all reactants convert into products)
- Side reactions (formation of unwanted products)
- Loss of material during transfer, filtering, or purification
- Impurities in reactants
Example:
Reaction: 2H₂ + O₂ → 2H₂O
- Theoretical yield (calculated): 10 g of water
- Actual yield (measured after experiment): 8 g of water
Here, the actual yield is 8 g, which is less than the theoretical yield.
The actual yield is important because it shows how efficient a reaction really is under real conditions.