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Atom Economy Equation:
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Atom Economy (AE) is a measure of the efficiency of a chemical reaction, calculated as the percentage of reactant atoms that are incorporated into the desired product. It's a fundamental concept in green chemistry that helps assess the environmental impact of chemical processes.
The calculator uses the Atom Economy equation:
Where:
Explanation: The equation compares the mass of atoms in the desired product to the total mass of atoms in all reactants. Higher percentages indicate more efficient reactions.
Details: Atom economy is crucial for sustainable chemistry as it helps minimize waste, reduce environmental impact, and improve process efficiency. Reactions with high atom economy typically generate less byproducts and require less purification.
Tips: Enter the molecular weight of your desired product and the sum of molecular weights for all reactants. Both values must be positive numbers in g/mol.
Q1: What is considered a good atom economy?
A: Ideally 100%, but in practice: >80% is excellent, 50-80% is good, and <50% indicates room for improvement.
Q2: Does atom economy account for reaction yield?
A: No, atom economy is theoretical and based on stoichiometry. Actual efficiency should consider both atom economy and reaction yield.
Q3: How does atom economy differ from yield?
A: Yield measures how much product you actually get, while atom economy measures how many reactant atoms end up in the product.
Q4: Can atom economy be greater than 100%?
A: No, the maximum possible is 100% when all reactant atoms are incorporated into the product.
Q5: What types of reactions typically have high atom economy?
A: Addition and rearrangement reactions often have 100% atom economy, while substitution and elimination reactions typically have lower values.