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Ch.2 - Atoms & Elements
Chapter 2, Problem 39

Which statements are consistent with Dalton's atomic theory as it was originally stated? Why? a. Sulfur and oxygen atoms have the same mass. b. All cobalt atoms are identical. c. Potassium and chlorine atoms combine in a 1:1 ratio to form potassium chloride. d. Lead atoms can be converted into gold.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Dalton's Atomic Theory

Dalton's atomic theory, proposed in the early 19th century, states that matter is composed of indivisible atoms, which are the smallest units of an element. Each element consists of identical atoms that have the same mass and properties, and atoms of different elements have different masses. This theory laid the groundwork for modern chemistry by introducing the idea that chemical reactions involve the rearrangement of atoms.
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Dalton's Atomic Theory

Atomic Mass and Identity

According to Dalton's theory, atoms of a given element are identical in mass and properties. This means that statements suggesting that atoms of different elements, such as sulfur and oxygen, have the same mass contradict this principle. The identity and mass of atoms are fundamental to understanding chemical reactions and the formation of compounds.
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Chemical Compounds and Ratios

Dalton's theory also posits that atoms combine in simple whole-number ratios to form compounds. For example, the formation of potassium chloride (KCl) from potassium and chlorine atoms in a 1:1 ratio is consistent with this theory. This concept is crucial for understanding stoichiometry and the composition of chemical compounds.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

Palladium forms three different compounds with sulfur. The mass of sulfur per gram of palladium in each compound is listed here. Show that these masses are consistent with the law of multiple proportions. Compound Grams S per Gram Pd A 0.603 B 0.301 C 0.151

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Textbook Question

Sulfur and oxygen form both sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide. When samples of these are decomposed, the sulfur dioxide produces 3.49 g oxygen and 3.50 g sulfur, while the sulfur trioxide produces 6.75 g oxygen and 4.50 g sulfur. Calculate the mass of oxygen per gram of sulfur for each sample and show that these results are consistent with the law of multiple proportions.

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Textbook Question

Sulfur and fluorine form several different compounds including sulfur hexafluoride and sulfur tetrafluoride. Decomposition of a sample of sulfur hexafluoride produces 4.45 g of fluorine and 1.25 g of sulfur, while decomposition of a sample of sulfur tetrafluoride produces 4.43 g of fluorine and 1.87 g of sulfur. Calculate the mass of fluorine per gram of sulfur for each sample and show that these results are consistent with the law of multiple proportions.

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Textbook Question

Which statements are inconsistent with Dalton's atomic theory as it was originally stated? Why? a. All carbon atoms are identical. b. An oxygen atom combines with 1.5 hydrogen atoms to form a water molecule. c. Two oxygen atoms combine with a carbon atom to form a carbon dioxide molecule. d. The formation of a compound often involves the destruction of one or more atoms.

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Textbook Question

Which statements are consistent with Rutherford's nuclear theory as it was originally stated? Why? a. The volume of an atom is mostly empty space. b. The nucleus of an atom is small compared to the size of the atom. c. Neutral lithium atoms contain more neutrons than protons. d. Neutral lithium atoms contain more protons than electrons.

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Textbook Question

Which statements are inconsistent with Rutherford's nuclear theory as it was originally stated? Why? a. Since electrons are smaller than protons, and since a hydrogen atom contains only one proton and one electron, it must follow that the volume of a hydrogen atom is mostly due to the proton. b. A nitrogen atom has 7 protons in its nucleus and 7 electrons outside of its nucleus. c. A phosphorus atom has 15 protons in its nucleus and 150 electrons outside of its nucleus. d. The majority of the mass of a fluorine atom is due to its 9 electrons.

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