Which of the following best describes the percent yield in a chemical reaction?

• A. The percentage of a solution that is composed of ammonia molecules
• B. The percentage of reactant that is ionized in solution
• C. The ratio of the mass of reactants used to the mass of products formed, multiplied by 100%
• D. The ratio of the actual amount of product obtained to the theoretical amount, multiplied by 100%

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that percent yield is a measure of the efficiency of a chemical reaction, comparing the amount of product actually obtained to the amount predicted by stoichiometry.
2. Recall the formula for percent yield: \(\text{Percent Yield} = \left( \frac{\text{Actual Yield}}{\text{Theoretical Yield}} \right) \times 100\%\).
3. Recognize that the actual yield is the amount of product you actually collect from the experiment, while the theoretical yield is the maximum amount predicted based on the limiting reactant.
4. Note that percent yield does not describe the composition of a solution or the ionization of reactants, but specifically relates to product formation efficiency.
5. Conclude that the best description of percent yield is the ratio of the actual amount of product obtained to the theoretical amount, multiplied by 100%.