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what is the law of definite composition in chemistry

by Veronica Upton I Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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In chemistry, the law of definite proportion, sometimes called Proust

Marcel Proust

Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust, known as Marcel Proust, was a French novelist, critic, and essayist best known for his monumental novel À la recherche du temps perdu, published in seven parts between 1913 and 1927. He is considered by critics and writers to be one of th…

’s law, or law of constant composition states that a given chemical compound always contains its component elements in fixed ratio (by mass) and does not depend on its source and method of preparation.

law of definite composition in American English
noun. Chemistry. the statement that in a pure compound the elements are always combined in fixed proportions by weight.

Full Answer

Does a mixture obey the law of definite composition?

Some substances are not pure and do not obey the law of definite composition. These are called mixtures. Example: Pure water (pure substance) vs. Salt water (mixture) Law of Definite Composition Slide 8 / 121 Example: Pure water (pure substance) vs. Salt water (mixture)

What does the law of constant composition Say?

  • The indivisibility of an atom was proved wrong: an atom can be further subdivided into protons, neutrons and electrons. ...
  • According to Dalton, the atoms of same element are similar in all respects. ...
  • Dalton also claimed that atoms of different elements are different in all respects. ...

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What are the laws of definite proportions?

  • LAW OF CONSTANT OR DEFINITE PROPORTIONS
  • By French chemist Joseph Proust
  • ' A chemical compound always contains exactly the same proportion of elements by mass .'
  • Proust worked with 2 samples of same compound Cupric carbonate ( one was it's natural form & the other one was synthetic . ...

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What does law of constant composition applies to?

The law of constant composition says that, in any particular chemical compound, all samples of that compound will be made up of the same elements in the same proportion or ratio. For example, any water molecule is always made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom in a 2: 1 ratio.

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What is the law of definite composition and give an example?

This states that all samples of a given chemical compound have the same elemental composition by mass. For example, oxygen makes up about 8/9 of the mass of any sample of pure water, while hydrogen makes up the remaining 1/9 of the mass.

What does definite composition mean?

A definite composition is a pure substance or element. 24 carat gold would be a definite composition. Pure reagent grade Sodium Chloride would be a definite composition in that there are no contaminants. Explaining more - A substance with a definite composition is a pure substance, that is one with a specific formula.

What is the law of definite composition for dummies?

The law of definite proportions states that a given chemical compound always contains the same elements in the exact same proportions by mass.

What is the law of definite constant composition?

In chemistry, the law of definite proportions, sometimes called Proust's law, or law of constant composition states that a given chemical compound always contains its component elements in fixed ratio (by mass) and does not depend on its source and method of preparation.

Why is the law of definite composition important?

The law of definite proportions dictates that a name is always associated with a specific ratio of elements found in a chemical compound. If the ratio of elements is different from that specific ratio then it is not the same compound and therefor has a different name.

Who discovered law of definite composition?

Joseph ProustThe Law of Constant Composition, discovered by Joseph Proust, is also known as the Law of Definite Proportions.

What is an example of a definite chemical composition?

"Definite chemical composition" means that all occurrences of that mineral have a chemical composition that varies within a specific limited range. For example: the mineral halite (known as "rock salt" when it is mined) has a chemical composition of NaCl.

What is the law of definite composition quizlet?

Law of definite proportions. sometimes called Proust's law or the law of definite composition, or law of constant composition states that a given chemical compound always contains its component elements in fixed ratio (by mass) and does not depend on its source and method of preparation.

What are some examples of law of definite proportions?

The law of definite proportions states that a given chemical compound always contains the same elements in the exact same proportions by mass. For example, any sample of pure water contains 11.19% hydrogen and 88.81% oxygen.

What is law of definite composition class 11?

Law of definite composition: The elements combine to form compounds. The compounds have elements in a fixed and constant ratio by mass and the ratio does not depend upon the preparation method of the source of the compounds. For example, consider water, we can take water from anywhere.

What is fixed and definite composition?

Pure Substance Matter that has a fixed composition and distinct properties. All pure substances are either elements or compounds. Elements All atoms are the same kind, elements have only one type of atom. e.g. oxygen (O2), gold (Au), silicon (Si) and diamond (C).

What does composition mean in logic?

(4) Composition occurs when the premise that the parts of a whole are of a certain nature is improperly used to infer that the whole itself must also be of this nature (example: a story made up of good paragraphs is thus said to be a…

What does it definite mean?

clearly defined or determinedclearly defined or determined; not vague or general; fixed; precise; exact. a definite quantity. definite directions.

Whats definite means?

1 : having certain or distinct limits : fixed a definite period of time. 2a : clear in meaning : explicit, exact a definite answer. b : unquestionable a definite improvement.

What is the law of constant composition?

In chemistry, the law of constant composition (also known as the law of definite proportions) states that samples of a pure compound always contain the same elements in the same mass proportion. This law, together with the law of multiple proportions, is the basis for stoichiometry in chemistry.

Who discovered the constant composition?

Law of Constant Composition History. Discovery of this law is credited to the French chemist Joseph Proust, who through a series of experiments conducted from 1798 to 1804 concluded that chemical compounds consisted of a specific composition. Considering John Dalton's atomic theory was only just beginning to explain that each element consisted ...

What is the law of multiple proportions?

This law, together with the law of multiple proportions, is the basis for stoichiometry in chemistry. In other words, no matter how a compound is obtained or prepared, it will always contain the same elements in the same mass proportion. For example, carbon dioxide (CO 2) always contains carbon and oxygen in a 3:8 mass ratio.

Which scientist believed that all elements could combine in any proportion?

Considering John Dalton' s atomic theory was only just beginning to explain that each element consisted of one type of atom and at the time, most scientists still believed elements could combine in any proportion, Proust's deductions were exceptional.

What are some examples of non-stoichiometric compounds?

There are some non-stoichiometric compounds that exhibit a variable composition from one sample to another. An example is wustite, a type of iron oxide that may contain 0.83 to 0.95 iron per each oxygen.

What is the law of definite proportions?

The law of definite proportions states samples of a compound will always contain the same proportion of elements by mass. The mass ratio of elements is fixed no matter where the elements came from, how the compound is prepared, or any other factor. Essentially, the law is based on the fact that an atom of a particular element is the same as any other atom of that element. So, an atom of oxygen is the same, whether it comes from silica or oxygen in the air.

Who was the first person to discover the law of combustion?

French chemist Joseph Proust (1754–1826) is credited with the discovery, but English chemist and theologian Joseph Priestly (1783–1804) and French chemist Antoine Lavoisier (1771– 1794) were the first to publish the law as a scientific proposal in 1794, based on the study of combustion. They noted metals always combine with two proportions of oxygen.

What is the name of the gas that is made up of two atoms?

As we know today, oxygen in the air is a gas consisting of two atoms, O 2 . The law was hotly disputed when it was proposed. French chemist Claude Louis Berthollet (1748–1822) was an opponent, arguing elements could combine in any proportion to form compounds. It wasn't until English chemist John Dalton's ...

What is the formula for wustite?

The ideal formula for iron oxide is FeO, but the crystal structure is such that there are variations. The formula for wustite is written Fe 0.95 O.

Is polymer a chemical compound?

Polymers also vary in element composition by mass, although they are not considered true chemical compounds in the strictest chemical sense.

Who proposed the law of definite proportions?

But later they were proven wrong. The law of definite proportions was later extended by John Dalton when Dalton proposed the law of multiple proportions.

What is the law of proportions?

In 1794, French chemist Joseph Proust proposed this law. That time the knowledge of chemical compound was not fully evolved, and he was opposed by many well-known chemists of that time. But later they were proven wrong. The law of definite proportions was later extended by John Dalton when Dalton proposed the law of multiple proportions.

What is the composition of water?

In the above figure, river water, rainwater, and tap water have a fixed composition of hydrogen 11.11 % and oxygen 88.89 %.

Is Proust's law universally valid?

The law of definite proportions or Proust’s law is not universally valid. There are some exceptions, which are discussed below. The law does not hold when there is the presence of an isotope in the compound. Isotopes are a variant of an element that has the same atomic number but different atomic mass due to the presence of extra neutrons.

Is water a chemical compound?

This is true irrespective of source or method of preparation of that chemical compound. Consider a molecule of water H 2 O. Now, water is a chemical compound since it is made up of more than one element. Any water molecule consists ...

Does Proust's law apply to non-stoichiometric compounds?

Non-stoichiometric compounds also do not obey Proust’s law. In non-stoichiometric compounds, the ratio of elements fluctuates within certain range. Classic example is ferrous oxide, whose ideal formula is FeO. But due to crystallographic vacancies, Fe atoms can vary from 0.83 to 0.95 for each O atom. Because of this variation, the proportions of elements (Fe, O) will vary, and Proust’s law fails again.

Do polymers have a fixed composition?

Many polymers (like protein, carbohydrates) do not have a fixed composition. These compounds also break the law.

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Law of Definite Proportions Definition

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The law of definite proportions states samples of a compound will always contain the same proportion of elements by mass. The mass ratio of elements is fixed no matter where the elements came from, how the compound is prepared, or any other factor. Essentially, the law is based on the fact that an atom of a particular eleme…
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Law of Definition Proportions Example

  • The law of definite proportions says water will always contain 1/9 hydrogen and 8/9 oxygen by mass. The sodium and chlorine in table salt combine according to the rule in NaCl. The atomic weight of sodium is about 23 and that of chlorine is about 35, so from the law one may conclude dissociating 58 grams of NaCl would produce about 23 g of sodium and 35 g of chlorine.
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History of The Law of Definite Proportions

  • Although the law of definite proportions may seem obvious to a modern chemist, the manner in which elements combine was not obvious in the early days of chemistry through the end of the 18th century. French chemist Joseph Proust (1754–1826) is credited with the discovery, but English chemist and theologian Joseph Priestly (1783–1804) and French chemist Antoine Lavoi…
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Exceptions to The Law of Definite Proportions

  • Although the law of definite proportions is useful in chemistry, there are exceptions to the rule. Some compounds are non-stoichiometric in nature, meaning their elemental composition varies from one sample to another. For example, wustite is a type of iron oxide with an elemental composition varying between 0.83 and 0.95 iron atoms for each oxygen atom (23%–25% oxyge…
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