The observation that 4.0 g of hydrogen reacts with 32.0 g of oxygen to form a product with O:H mass ratio = 8:1,and 6.0 g of hydrogen reacts with 48.0 g of oxygen to form the same product with O/H mass ratio = 8:1 is evidence for the law of
A)definite proportions.
B)energy conservation.
C)mass conservation.
D)multiple proportions.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The observation that the mass ratio between oxygen and hydrogen is constant and fixed (8:1) regardless of the amounts of each reactants used in the reaction is consistent with the law of definite proportions. This law states that a given chemical compound always contains the same fixed ratio of elements by mass, which is independent of the sample size or the method of preparation. The fact that different amounts of hydrogen and oxygen react to give the same product with the same O:H mass ratio supports this law and rules out the other choices. Energy conservation and mass conservation are basic principles of physics that apply to all chemical reactions, but they do not account for the specific ratio between reactants and products. The law of multiple proportions, on the other hand, describes the relationship between different compounds that contain the same elements in different ratios, which is not the case here.

The Observation That 4