Question
Carbon and oxygen combine in two different ways to form carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. In carbon monoxide, 12 g carbon combines with 16 g oxygen. In carbon dioxide 12 g carbon combines with 32 g oxygen. Which law of combination is illustrated by this experiment? Explain.
Solution
The above experiment illustrates law of multiple proportions. 16 g and 32 g of oxygen respectively are required to combine with a fixed weight, i.e., 12 g of carbon to form carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. The ratio of oxygen which combines with a fixed weight of carbon is 16 : 32 or 1 : 2, a simple whole number. This is law of multiple proportions.
