ICF TABLES

What is an ICF table? An ICF table is a method of keeping track of reactants and products during a chemical reaction. An ICF table is used to help solve limiting reactant problems. An ICF table is especially useful when numerous questions are asked about the reaction.

What does ICF stand for? I: Initial quantities of reactants and products in a chemical reaction. These must be in moles (or liters if dealing with gases). Typically the initial quantity of each product is zero.

What does ICF stand for? C: Change in quantities of reactants and products as the reaction proceeds. These values are represented by variables. Reactants get used up; the sign for their change is negative. Products get formed; the sign for their change is positive.

What does ICF stand for? F: Final quantities of reactants and products when the reaction is complete. For one reactant (the limiting reactant), this value is zero. All other values need to be positive.

CH4 + O2  CO2 + H2O A sealed container initially contains 2 CH4 + O2  CO2 + H2O A sealed container initially contains 2.40 moles of methane and 5.80 moles of oxygen gas and then undergoes a reaction until one reactant is completely used up. Use an ICF table to determine the identity of the limiting reactant, the moles of excess reactant that remain, and the moles of each product formed.

C3H8 (g) + O2 (g)  CO2 (g) + H2O (g) A sealed container initially contains 1.28 L of propane and 5.23 L of oxygen gas and then undergoes a reaction until one reactant is completely used up. Use an ICF table to determine the identity of the limiting reactant, the volume of excess reactant that remains, and the volume of each product formed.

C + SO2  CS2 + CO A sealed container initially contains 25.1 grams of carbon and 67.2 grams of sulfur dioxide gas and then undergoes a reaction until one reactant is completely used up. Use an ICF table to determine the identity of the limiting reactant, the mass of excess reactant that remains, and the mass of each product formed.

2 N2 (g) + 5 O2 (g)  2 N2O5 (g) A sealed container initially contains 13.2 L of nitrogen gas and 39.7 L of oxygen gas and then undergoes a reaction until one reactant is completely used up. Use an ICF table to determine the identity of the limiting reactant, the volume of excess reactant that remains, and the volume of product formed.

2 Al + Fe2O3  2 Fe + Al2O3 A sealed container initially contains 16.1 grams of aluminum and 95.3 grams of iron (III) oxide and then undergoes a reaction until one reactant is completely used up. Use an ICF table to determine the identity of the limiting reactant, the mass of excess reactant that remains, and the mass of each product formed.