School · Chemistry · Advanced

Stoichiometry calculator

Enter a balanced equation and how much of each reactant you have. This finds the limiting reactant, the theoretical yield, and the percent yield, with every mole conversion shown.

Reactants
Product you want
The equation must already be balanced. Coefficients are the big numbers in front of each formula. Actual yield is optional and only used for percent yield.

What the coefficients actually tell you

In N₂ + 3H₂ → 2NH₃, the numbers in front are a recipe in moles, not in grams. One mole of nitrogen reacts with three moles of hydrogen to give two moles of ammonia. That ratio is the whole basis of stoichiometry.

This is why you cannot work in grams directly. Grams do not follow the ratio, because different substances have different molar masses. You convert grams to moles, use the ratio, then convert back to grams at the end. Every stoichiometry question follows that same shape.

The mole ratio is the only place the coefficients belong. A common error is multiplying the mass by the coefficient. Coefficients count particles, so they only apply once you are working in moles.

Limiting reactant, and why it decides everything

Reactions rarely start with exactly the right proportions. One reactant runs out first, and once it does the reaction stops regardless of how much of the others is left. That one is the limiting reactant, and it alone sets how much product you can make.

The way to find it is not to look for whichever you have least of by mass. Instead, divide each reactant's moles by its coefficient in the equation. The smallest result is the limiting one, because that comparison accounts for the recipe rather than just the raw amount.

Everything else is in excess. Some of it will be left over unreacted when the reaction finishes.

Common questions

Why is my percent yield below 100?
Almost always, in a real experiment. Product gets lost during transfer and filtering, some reactant may not fully react, and side reactions can produce something else. A yield of 100% is essentially never seen in a school lab.
Can percent yield be over 100?
Not genuinely. If you calculate more than 100%, the product is usually still wet with solvent, or contaminated with something else, so the mass is inflated. It can also mean an arithmetic slip in the theoretical yield.
What is the difference between theoretical and actual yield?
Theoretical yield is the maximum the equation allows if everything goes perfectly. Actual yield is what you really got and weighed. Percent yield is actual divided by theoretical, times 100.
Does the equation have to be balanced first?
Yes, absolutely. The coefficients are the mole ratio, so an unbalanced equation gives the wrong ratio and every number after that is wrong. Balance it before you start.