Which of the following best describes how to determine the theoretical yield in a chemical reaction?

• A. Calculate the amount of product formed based on the limiting reactant using stoichiometry.
• B. Measure the actual amount of product obtained from the experiment.
• C. Divide the mass of the reactants by the molar mass of the product.
• D. Use the excess reactant to calculate the maximum possible product.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the theoretical yield is the maximum amount of product that can be formed from the given reactants, assuming complete reaction with no losses.
2. Identify the limiting reactant, which is the reactant that will be completely consumed first and thus limits the amount of product formed.
3. Use stoichiometry to relate the moles of the limiting reactant to the moles of product using the balanced chemical equation.
4. Convert the moles of product obtained from stoichiometry into mass by multiplying by the molar mass of the product.
5. Recognize that this calculated mass is the theoretical yield, representing the maximum possible product amount under ideal conditions.