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posted by  soccerluver271 on 6/25/2008 12:13:49 AM  |  status: Live  

LAW OF MULTIPLE PROPORTIONS!!!! LIFESAVER!!!!

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The following phosphorous sulfides are known: P4S3, P4S7, P4S10. Do these compounds obey the law of multiple proportions?


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posted by KyleK on 6/25/2008 12:57:58 AM  |  status: Live
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soccerluver271's comment:
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For the compounds to obey the law of multiple proportions, the ratios of the mass of the second element (S) which combine with a fixed mass of the first element (P) will be ratios of small whole numbers.

Normally you have to convert the number of moles of the fixed element into a mass for each compound, and use that mass to determine a mass for the second element in each compound.  However, in this case each compound has the same amount of P, so the ratios can be taken directly from the formulas:

The second compound will have 7/3 as much sulfur as the first compound.  The third compound will have 10/7 as much sulfur as the second compound while having 10/3 as much sulfur as the first compound.  These ratios are all ratios of small whole numbers, so the compounds obey the law of multiple proportions.
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posted by vsiddhardha on 6/25/2008 2:26:21 AM  |  status: Live
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Response Details:
1.there might be different proportions of the same compound with complex structures.
so all of them obey law of multiple proportions

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