How Does the Law of Multiple Proportions Apply to Sulfur and Fluorine Compounds?

[Victor Frankenstein]

Sulfur forms two compounds with fluorine. In one of them it is observed that 0.447 g of sulfur is combined with 1.06 g of fluorine while in the other, 0.438 g of sulfur is combined with 1.56 g of fluorine. Show that these data illustrate the law of multiple proportions.

would (0.447/1.06)/(0.438/1.56) work, why or why not?

 

[Gokul43201]

Sulfur forms two compounds with fluorine. In one of them it is observed that 0.447 g of sulfur is combined with 1.06 g of fluorine while in the other, 0.438 g of sulfur is combined with 1.56 g of fluorine. Show that these data illustrate the law of multiple proportions.

would (0.447/1.06)/(0.438/1.56) work, why or why not?

All you've done there is write out a number. How would you now show that this number illustrates that the Law of MP is at work in these compounds ?

PS : The illlustration follows directly from evaluating and rewriting that number in a more friendly form.

 

[ravenprp]

Yes, this calculation would work to illustrate the law of multiple proportions. The law of multiple proportions states that when two elements combine to form multiple compounds, the ratio of the masses of one element that combine with a fixed mass of the other element will be in small whole numbers. In this case, the fixed mass of fluorine is 1.06 g and 1.56 g in the two compounds, while the mass of sulfur varies. When we divide the ratios of sulfur to fluorine in each compound [(0.447/1.06) and (0.438/1.56)], we get a ratio of approximately 0.423 in both cases. This shows that the ratio of sulfur to fluorine in each compound is consistent and follows the law of multiple proportions.