A commercial vinegar sample is analyzed to determine the percent yield of acetic acid produced in a reaction. If the theoretical yield of acetic acid is 5.00 g and the actual yield obtained from the experiment is 4.20 g, what is the percent yield?

• A. 105%
• B. 21%
• C. 84%
• D. 4.2%

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the given values: the theoretical yield of acetic acid is 5.00 g, and the actual yield obtained is 4.20 g.
2. Recall the formula for percent yield, which compares the actual yield to the theoretical yield: \(\text{Percent Yield} = \left( \frac{\text{Actual Yield}}{\text{Theoretical Yield}} \right) \times 100\%\).
3. Substitute the given values into the formula: \(\text{Percent Yield} = \left( \frac{4.20\ \text{g}}{5.00\ \text{g}} \right) \times 100\%\).
4. Perform the division inside the parentheses to find the fraction of the theoretical yield obtained.
5. Multiply the result by 100 to convert it to a percentage, which gives the percent yield of acetic acid in the sample.