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Fischer Esterification Equilibrium (2D)

Interactive 2D simulation of the Fischer esterification equilibrium (acid + alcohol ⇌ ester + water): a from-scratch ICE-table quadratic solver finds the real equilibrium extent, and you can see how excess alcohol and a Dean–Stark water trap each shift the ester yield.

Chemistry & Materials2DModerate60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 3D version

This 2D companion simulator models the same Fischer esterification chemistry as the 3D version — a carboxylic acid and an alcohol reacting to equilibrium, RCOOH + R'OH ⇌ RCOOR' + H₂O — but drives the population directly from a from-scratch quadratic solve of the ICE-table equilibrium algebra instead of a stochastic particle simulation. Set the initial alcohol:acid ratio and K_eq, and watch the acid, alcohol, ester and water populations settle at the exact solved equilibrium extent. Toggle the Dean–Stark water trap to see the governing quadratic get re-solved every frame as water is removed, driving conversion measurably closer to 100% than the same starting mixture without it.

⚙ Under the hood

Watch a carboxylic acid and an alcohol react to equilibrium in a 3D flask, and see how excess alcohol, an acid catalyst, and a Dean–Stark water trap each affect the ester yield differently.

chemical equilibriumorganic chemistryesterificationLe Chatelierreaction kinetics

2D · HTML5 Canvas 2D · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install