Question

What conclusion can be made relating the amount of precipitate formed in a lab experiment with it's theoretical balanced reaction

Answer 1

From the theoretical balanced equation, one can always find how many moles of the compound will precipitate if one mole of reactant is consumed.

Thus from the amount of the precipitate formed together with the theoretical balanced equation, can easily calculate the yield of the reaction.

Suppose 2moles of precipitate is formed from one mole of reactant, then

2 * (Amt of precipitate/Molar mass of precipitate) = 1* (Amt of reactant used/Molar mass of reactant)

Recall that No. of moles = Weight of molecule/Molar mass of molecule

In the above equation, the only unknown quantity is the amount of precipitate. That will be the theoretical yield of precipitate in that reaction.

On comparing it with what you got, one can tell the yield obtained from the reaction.