Explain the law of constant proportion.
Answers
Answer:
In a chemical substance the elements are always present in definite proportions by their masses.
in a compound such as water the ratio of the mass of hydrogen to the mass of oxygen is always 1:8 whatever the source of water is. Thus if 9gram of water is decomposed 1 gram of hydrogen and 8 grams of oxygen are always obtained.
similarly in ammonia nitrogen and hydrogen are always present in the ratio 14:3 by mass.
The law of constant proportions states that when a compound is broken, the masses of the constituent elements remain in the same proportion. Or, in a chemical compound, the elements are always present in definite proportions by mass.
This means each compound has the same elements in the same proportions, regardless of where the compound was obtained, who prepared it, or its mass.
This law was formulated and proven by Joseph Louis Proust in 1799.