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Kc / Kp • ICE table • 5% rule

Chemical equilibrium ICE table calculator (Kc, Kp)

Calculate equilibrium concentrations and a full ICE table from Kc or Kp and initial conditions for a single chemical reaction. Useful for general chemistry and lab reports.

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How to use (3 steps)

  1. Enter up to four species with their roles (reactant/product), stoichiometric coefficients, and initial concentrations or partial pressures.
  2. Select Kc or Kp, enter the equilibrium constant, and optionally toggle the small-x approximation check.
  3. Compute to generate the ICE table, reaction extent x, and a step-by-step log. Copy the URL to share the exact setup.

The default example auto-loads N2O4 <=> 2NO2 at 25 °C, showing a modest forward shift. All calculations run in your browser only.

Reaction and initial conditions

Enable at least one reactant and one product. Units update automatically when you switch Kc ↔ Kp.

Include Species Role Coefficient Initial

Equilibrium constant and options

Use mol/L for Kc and bar for Kp.

Enter K at the temperature of interest. Temperature dependence is not modeled in this version.

When on, the tool reports a small-x estimate alongside the numeric root.
The URL stores every input so you can reopen the same ICE table.

Summary

How it's calculated

    How to use this calculator effectively

    Start by writing a single equilibrium expression, confirm whether your constant is Kc or Kp, and enter only the species that belong in that expression. After the first run, adjust one concentration, coefficient, or pressure term at a time so you can see what moves the equilibrium position.

    FAQ

    What kinds of reactions can I solve with this tool?

    It handles a single equilibrium reaction with up to four species, using Kc for solution equilibria or Kp for gas-phase equilibria. Multi-step or coupled equilibria are out of scope.

    Why do I see errors about negative concentrations or no physical solution?

    Some K values and initial conditions produce no non-negative equilibrium concentrations in the feasible interval, or the numeric solver may not find a root when the change is extreme. Adjust the starting concentrations or K and try again.

    What is the 5% small-x approximation?

    When the reaction extent x is small compared with initial concentrations, you can assume C0 ± x ≈ C0 to simplify algebra. This tool reports the maximum relative change and flags whether the 5% rule is satisfied.

    What should I enter first?

    Enter the balanced reaction, pick whether you are working with Kc or Kp, and fill in the initial concentrations or partial pressures for the species that appear in that expression. Use optional reporting fields only after the core equilibrium setup is correct.

    How precise are the results?

    The calculator keeps internal precision and rounds only for display. Small differences can still appear when another tool uses different constants, temperature assumptions, or solver tolerances, so compare the same equilibrium model before judging the result.

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