Decarboxylation Monitoring: Track THCa (358.47 g/mol) decarboxylation to THC (314.46 g/mol) via CO₂ loss. Log weights at regular intervals for detailed progress analysis.
Configuration
Enter your vessel or container weight here.
Enter the initial weight of THCa before decarboxylation.
Frequently Asked Questions & Mathematics
What is the chemical reaction for THCa decarboxylation?

THCa (Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid) converts to THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) through thermal decarboxylation, losing a carboxyl group (CO₂):

$$\text{THCa} \xrightarrow{\text{Heat}} \text{THC} + \text{CO}_2$$
Chemical decarboxylation reaction

This reaction removes 44.01 g/mol of CO₂ from each mole of THCa (358.47 g/mol), producing THC (314.46 g/mol).

How is the conversion ratio calculated?

The conversion ratio is based on the molecular weights of THC and THCa:

$$\text{Conversion Ratio} = \frac{\text{MW}_{\text{THC}}}{\text{MW}_{\text{THCa}}} = \frac{314.46}{358.47} = 0.8773$$
Molecular weight conversion ratio

This means that 1g of THCa produces approximately 0.8773g of THC when fully decarboxylated.

How is completion percentage calculated?

Completion is calculated based on the observed weight loss compared to the expected CO₂ loss:

$$\text{Completion (\%)} = \frac{\text{Observed Weight Loss}}{\text{Expected CO}_2 \text{ Loss}} \times 100$$
Completion percentage formula

Where the expected CO₂ loss is:

$$\text{Expected CO}_2 \text{ Loss} = \text{Initial THCa} \times (1 - 0.8773)$$
Expected CO₂ loss calculation
How are the remaining THCa and converted THC calculated?

Based on the completion percentage, we can calculate the remaining compounds:

$$\text{Remaining THCa} = \text{Initial THCa} \times \left(1 - \frac{\text{Completion}}{100}\right)$$
Remaining THCa formula
$$\text{Converted THC} = \text{Initial THCa} \times 0.8773 \times \frac{\text{Completion}}{100}$$
Converted THC formula
How is the conversion rate calculated?

The conversion rate measures how much THC is produced per unit time:

$$\text{Conversion Rate} = \frac{\Delta \text{THC}}{\Delta t}$$
Instantaneous conversion rate (g/hour)

The average conversion rate over the entire session is:

$$\text{Average Rate} = \frac{\text{Total THC Converted}}{\text{Total Time (hours)}}$$
Average conversion rate
Why track weight loss instead of direct measurement?

Weight loss provides an accurate, real-time measurement of decarboxylation progress because:

1. CO₂ is the only volatile compound lost during decarboxylation

2. The weight loss is directly proportional to THCa conversion

3. It's non-invasive and doesn't require sampling

$$\text{THCa Converted} = \frac{\text{Weight Loss}}{44.01} \times 358.47$$
THCa converted from weight loss