Chemistry · Chapter 13

Fill an ICE Table One Row at a Time

Choose a reaction, set what you mixed, then step through Initial, Change and Equilibrium. The table fills in as you go and the solved answer is checked against K.

The table the highlighted row is the one you just filled

An ICE table being filled in step by step

Where the answer comes from

The algebra behind the solved table

The last row is what goes into K. That gives one equation holding one unknown, so x is the only thing left to find. Putting x back into the fraction has to return K, which is the check at the bottom.

Reaction

0.000x, in mol/L goes right
K at this temperature = 50.0
Q before anything reacts = 0
Step 1 of 6: set the initial row

What you mixed

This step
Write what you mixed
The Initial row holds the amounts before any reaction. A species you did not add starts at zero.

The answer