Conversion and its related terms yield and selectivity are important terms in chemical reaction engineering. They are described as ratios of how much of a reactant has reacted (X — conversion, normally between zero and one), how much of a desired product was formed (Y — yield, normally also between zero and one) and how much desired product was formed in ratio to the undesired product(s) (S — selectivity).
There are conflicting definitions in the literature for selectivity and yield, so each author's intended definition should be verified.
Conversion can be defined for (semi-)batch and continuous reactors and as instantaneous and overall conversion.