Approaching a problem

[Debie_Morales1D]

Hey Guys so I am having a hard time starting reaction problems. I get overwhelmed and don't know where to start. Does anyone have any tips or would you say it got better with more practice ?

[Meghan Terrell 1B]

The first thing I usually do is write out what is given and also write out the reaction. If you are referencing ICE problems, the next thing to do would be to set up a ICE chart. However, when I took AP Chem, we always called them RICE charts. The only difference is you write out the reaction as well at the top. So, write out the reaction. Then, write down the initial concentrations. If a concentration hasn't been given for a compound, you can assume it is 0. Then, calculate the relative change. And finally, plug into K equation to find x and find equilibrium concentration.

Overall, the best place to start is writing out what you are given, the reaction, and what direction the reaction would proceed in. It definitely gets easier with practice. The textbook problems on the outline for chemical equilibrium has a ton of practice with ICE charts and if you go through them all, you'll be a pro by the end.

[Alena Zhu 2I]

Adding on to everything Meghan said, which I think is all good advice, I generally try to write out all the equations I know that would relate to the problem given, such as the calculations for the equilibrium constant K, or the various equations pertaining to the calculations of pH and pOH. With all the equations written out and organized within the problem it feels a little easier for me to apply them to the problem and manipulate them to get the solution I'm looking for.

Hope this helps!

[Martha Avila 1I]

Hello. So when starting a problem you want to first make sure that you write out your balanced equation. This will ensure that you are starting with the correct ratio of moles. After that you want to set up an ice table if the problem requires it. The ice table consists of the initial concentration, change in concentration, and equilibrium constant. After you set up your chart you want to use KA in order to solve. These types of equations can be quite confusing but practice does help in memorizing equations to make each problem simpler. Hope this helps.

[Kayla Arellano 1K]

Hey Guys so I am having a hard time starting reaction problems. I get overwhelmed and don't know where to start. Does anyone have any tips or would you say it got better with more practice ?

I would agree that it gets better with more practice from the Chem Achieve and textbook problems because you are able to solidify your thought process on how to approach problems. I recommend starting out with writing the balanced chemical equation. I identify if we are dealing with salts, acids, and bases, and whether the acid/base of strong or weak. We can then set up an ice table, plug in values into the Ka or Kb equation and solve for x. From there, depending on what the question is asking we can solve for pH, pOH, pKa, percent ionization, etc.