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The Law of Multiple Proportions states that when two elements combine to form more than one compound, the mass ratios of one element that combine with a fixed mass of the other element can be expressed as a ratio of small whole numbers.
The Law of Definite Proportions states that a given compound always contains the same elements in the same proportions by mass. This means that the ratio of the masses of the elements in a compound is always the same. The Law of Multiple Proportions, on the other hand, applies when two elements can combine to form more than one compound with different mass ratios of the elements.
An example of the Law of Multiple Proportions is the formation of carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) from carbon and oxygen. The ratio of the masses of oxygen that combine with a fixed mass of carbon in these compounds is 1:2, which is a small whole number ratio.
The Law of Multiple Proportions was discovered by English chemist John Dalton in the early 1800s. He observed that when two elements can form multiple compounds, the mass ratios of one element to another in each compound can be expressed as small whole numbers.
The Law of Multiple Proportions is important because it provides evidence for the existence of atoms, as it shows that elements can combine in small, whole number ratios. It also helps explain the composition of different compounds and allows scientists to predict the mass ratios of elements in a compound.
