Hayden Hamilton

Dr. Deason

3.25.2024

4th H Chemistry

Abstract
The purpose of this lab was to use the principles of stoichiometry to determine the theoretical
yield in a simple reaction, measure the actual yield in this experiment, and calculate the percent yield. To
do this we calculated theoretical yield for our specific reaction, then completed our lab and calculated
the actual yield. This experiment reacts sodium carbonate and hydrochloric acid to produce sodium
chloride, water, and carbon dioxide. The reaction is trying to isolate sodium chloride by drying out the
products to get the pure substance to measure the actual yield. When it first completed the reaction the
mass of the product was 0.4g of sodium chloride. Through a process of heating to dry out the product to
evaporate off the excess water, the reaction produced a product mass down to 0.33g of sodium chloride.
The theoretical yield was calculated to be 0.42g of product, making the calculated percent yield 78.6%.
Some potential errors that could have affected the percent yield is overheating, losing some product,
human error, miscalculation, inexact measuring, and faulty scale. Overall, this lab demonstrates how
stoichiometry is used to determine the success of reactions or identify errors in an experiment; this
technique is used by professionals in energy production, medicine, and environmental science and could
one day contribute to a breakthrough in clean energy production.