is the law of conversation of mass a reason why actual yield is less than theoretical yield?
You MUST means conservation and not conversation. No, the law of conservation of mass is not why actual yield is less than theoretical yield. The Law of Conservation of Mass is what allows us to calculate theoretical yield.
Yes, the law of conservation of mass is one of the reasons why the actual yield of a chemical reaction is often less than the theoretical yield. According to this law, mass cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction, it can only be rearranged or converted from one form to another.
The theoretical yield of a chemical reaction is calculated based on stoichiometry, which is the precise molar ratio between reactants and products. It assumes that the reaction goes to completion without any loss of reactants and that all products are obtained in the expected amounts.
In reality, however, there are several factors that can cause the actual yield to be less than the theoretical yield:
1. Incomplete reactions: Some reactions may not go to completion due to factors such as reversibility or side reactions. This means that not all of the reactants will be completely converted to products, resulting in a lower yield.
2. Presence of impurities: Reactants or products may contain impurities that affect the reaction, reducing the actual yield. Impurities can include contaminants in the reactants, reaction by-products, or unreacted starting materials.
3. Losses during handling: Losses can occur during the handling and transfer of reaction mixtures. For instance, some of the reaction mixture may be left behind in containers, reactants may be spilled, or products may be lost during filtration or purification steps.
4. Evaporation: Volatile products or solvents can evaporate during the reaction or during subsequent purification steps, leading to a loss in yield.
5. Side reactions: Some reactions can have competing side reactions that lead to the formation of undesired products. These side reactions reduce the amount of desired product obtained.
In summary, while the law of conservation of mass ensures that mass is conserved during a chemical reaction, various practical factors can result in the actual yield being less than the theoretical yield.