Answer to Question #63353 in General Chemistry for Festus

Question

a metal forms two oxides containing 20% and 11% of oxygen respectively, show that this figures are in accordance with the law of multiple proportion

Answer 1

Law of multiple proportions says: if two elements form more than one compound between them, then the ratios of the masses of the second element which combine with a fixed mass of the first element will be ratios of small whole numbers.
In this case proportion of elements in the mentioned compounds is:
- Oxygen – 20%, Metal 80%.
20/80 = 1:4
Which corresponds the law of multiple proportions.

- Oxygen - 11%, Metal – 89%.
11/89 ≈ 8
Which corresponds the law of multiple proportions.