USING R.I.C.E.

TABLES AND
STOICHIOMETRY WITH LIMITING
REACTANTS
RICE tables are a common tool of chemists (college
professors use then a lot!) to organize the
information for stoichiometry with a reaction and set
up mathematical equations when necessary to solve
for unknowns.

R = reaction (balanced)
I = initial conditions (before the reaction)
C = change (remove reactants, form products)
E = end conditions (after the reaction)
Example 1: 10. grams of ethene is combusted. What
volume of carbon dioxide will be formed?
Example 1: 10. grams of ethene is combusted. What
volume of carbon dioxide will be formed?

BEWARE: Moles goes into a RICE table and moles will

come out. To find volume will require a final step.
Example 1: 10. grams of ethene is combusted. What
volume of carbon dioxide will be formed?

R=
Example 1: 10. grams of ethene is combusted. What
volume of carbon dioxide will be formed?

R= C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 2H2O

Example 1: 10. grams of ethene is combusted. What
volume of carbon dioxide will be formed?

R= C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 2H2O

I=
Example 1: 10. grams of ethene is combusted. What
volume of carbon dioxide will be formed?

R= C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 2H2O

I= 10. g
Example 1: 10. grams of ethene is combusted. What
volume of carbon dioxide will be formed?

R= C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 2H2O

I= 10. g
0.625 mol ? 0 0
Example 1: 10. grams of ethene is combusted. What
volume of carbon dioxide will be formed?

R= C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 2H2O

I= 10. g
0.625 mol ? 0 0

C=
Example 1: 10. grams of ethene is combusted. What
volume of carbon dioxide will be formed?

R= C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 2H2O

I= 10. g
0.625 mol ? 0 0

C= -1x -3x +2x +2x

Example 1: 10. grams of ethene is combusted. What
volume of carbon dioxide will be formed?

R= C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 2H2O

I= 10. g
0.625 mol ? 0 0

C= -1x -3x +2x +2x

all the ethene will be burned, so x = 0.63 mol
Example 1: 10. grams of ethene is combusted. What
volume of carbon dioxide will be formed?

R= C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 2H2O

I= 10. g
0.625 mol ? 0 0

C= -1x -3x +2x +2x

-0.625 mol -1.875 mol +1.25 mol +1.25 mol
Example 1: 10. grams of ethene is combusted. What
volume of carbon dioxide will be formed?

R= C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 2H2O

I= 10. g
0.625 mol ? 0 0

C= -1x -3x +2x +2x

-0.625 mol -1.875 mol +1.25 mol +1.25 mol

E=
Example 1: 10. grams of ethene is combusted. What
volume of carbon dioxide will be formed?

R= C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 2H2O

I= 10. g
0.625 mol ? 0 0

C= -1x -3x +2x +2x

-0.625 mol -1.875 mol +1.25 mol +1.25 mol

E= 0 ?-1.875 mol 1.25 mol 1.25 mol

Example 1: 10. grams of ethene is combusted. What
volume of carbon dioxide will be formed?

How many moles of CO2 was formed?

Example 1: 10. grams of ethene is combusted. What
volume of carbon dioxide will be formed?

How many moles of CO2 was formed? 1.3 mol

Example 1: 10. grams of ethene is combusted. What
volume of carbon dioxide will be formed?

How many moles of CO2 was formed? 1.3 mol

What volume of CO2 was formed?
Example 1: 10. grams of ethene is combusted. What
volume of carbon dioxide will be formed?

How many moles of CO2 was formed? 1.3 mol

What volume of CO2 was formed?
1.25 mol x 22.4 L/mol = 28 L
Example 1: 10. grams of ethene is combusted. What
volume of carbon dioxide will be formed?

How many moles of CO2 was formed? 1.3 mol

What volume of CO2 was formed?
1.25 mol x 22.4 L/mol = 28 L

What other information do we already know?

Example 1: 10. grams of ethene is combusted. What
volume of carbon dioxide will be formed?

How many moles of CO2 was formed? 1.3 mol

What volume of CO2 was formed?
1.25 mol x 22.4 L/mol = 28 L

What other information do we already know?

• Moles of O2 consumed
• Moles of H2O produced
Example 2: 10. grams of ethene is combusted with 50.
grams of O2. What volume of carbon dioxide can be
formed?
Example 2: 10. grams of ethene is combusted with 50.
grams of O2. What volume of carbon dioxide can be
formed?

R= C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 2H2O

Example 2: 10. grams of ethene is combusted with 50.
grams of O2. What volume of carbon dioxide can be
formed?

R= C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 2H2O

I= 10. g 50. g
0.625 mol 1.56 mol
Example 2: 10. grams of ethene is combusted with 50.
grams of O2. What volume of carbon dioxide can be
formed?

R= C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 2H2O

I= 10. g 50. g
0.625 mol 1.56 mol

C= -1x -3x +2x +2x

WHICH X TO USE? SMALLEST X!
Example 2: 10. grams of ethene is combusted with 50.
grams of O2. What volume of carbon dioxide can be
formed?

R= C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 2H2O

I= 10. g 50. g
0.625 mol 1.56 mol

C= -1x -3x +2x +2x

WHICH X TO USE? SMALLEST X!

If 0.625 = 1 x, then x = 0.625

If 1.56 = 3 x, then x = 0.521 ← SMALLEST
Example 2: 10. grams of ethene is combusted with 50.
grams of O2. What volume of carbon dioxide can be
formed?

R= C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 2H2O

I= 10. g 50. g
0.625 mol 1.56 mol

C= -1x -3x +2x +2x

-0.521 mol -1.56 mol +1.04 mol 1.04 mol
Example 2: 10. grams of ethene is combusted with 50.
grams of O2. What volume of carbon dioxide can be
formed?

R= C2H4 + 3O2 → 2CO2 + 2H2O

I= 10. g 50. g
0.625 mol 1.56 mol

C= -1x -3x +2x +2x

-0.521 mol -1.56 mol +1.04 mol 1.04 mol

E = 0.625 mol – 0.521 mol 1.56 mol – 1.56 mol 1.04 mol 1.04 mol

0.104 mol 0 1.04 mol 1.04 mol

Example 2: 10. grams of ethene is combusted with 50.
grams of O2. What volume of carbon dioxide can be
formed?

What volume of CO2 is actually produced?

1.04 mols x 22.4 L/mol = 23 L
Example 2: 10. grams of ethene is combusted with 50.
grams of O2. What volume of carbon dioxide can be
formed?

What volume of CO2 is actually produced?

1.04 mols x 22.4 L/mol = 23 L

What else do we know?

• Moles of ethene left over
• Moles of water actually produced
Why use a RICE table for limiting reactant problems?

How many RR tracks would it have taken?

Why use a RICE table for limiting reactant problems?

How many RR tracks would it have taken?

2 to figure out which one is limiting
Why use a RICE table for limiting reactant problems?

How many RR tracks would it have taken?

2 to figure out which one is limiting
1 more to find amount of excess
Why use a RICE table for limiting reactant problems?

How many RR tracks would it have taken?

2 to figure out which one is limiting
1 more to find amount of excess
1 more for each of the additional products
Why use a RICE table for limiting reactant problems?

How many RR tracks would it have taken?

2 to figure out which one is limiting
1 more to find amount of excess
1 more for each of the additional products

It is your choice. We did 1 RICE table vs 4 RR Tracks.

RICE tables will be necessary later. For now, it is
optional.