CHAPTER # 2 LAW OF CHEMICAL COMBINATION

CHAPTER # 2

LAW OF CHEMICAL COMBINATION

LAW OF CHEMICAL COMBINATION:

The chemists are particularly interested in those changes, where one or more substances are
changed into quite different substances. They had found that these chemical changes are
governed by some empirical laws known as laws of chemical combination.
These laws are:
i. Law of conservation of mass.
ii. Law of constant composition OR Law of definite proportions
iii. Law of multiple proportions.
iv. Law of reciprocal proportions.
LAW OF CONSERVATION OF MASS:
INTRODUCTION:
The French chemist Lavoisier studied the chemical change in substances and gave the law in
1785.
STATEMENT:
The law states that mass in neither created nor destroyed during a chemical reaction. In other
words, in any chemical reaction the initial weight of reacting substances is equal to the final
weight of the products.
EXAMPLE:
The law of conservation of mass may be demonstrated by the union of hydrogen (H 2) and
oxygen (O2) to from water. If the H2 and O2 are weighed before they unite, it will be found
that their combined weight is equal to the weight of water (H2O) formed.
EXPERIMENT:
German chemist H. Landolt, studied about fifteen different chemical reaction to test the
validity of the law of conservation of mass. He took H shaped tube and filled silver nitrate
(AgNO3) in limb A and hydrochloric acid (HCl) in limb B. The tube was sealed and it was
weighed initially in a vertical position without the intermixing of solutions. The reactants
were mixed by shaking the limbs. After mixing, the tube was weighed and the weight
remains same.
EQUATION:
AgNO3 (aq.) + HCl (aq.) AgCl (s) + HNO3 (aq.)

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CHAPTER # 2 LAW OF CHEMICAL COMBINATION

CONCLUSION:
Hence the law of conservation of mass is valid from practical view point of chemical
reactions i.e. there is no detectable gain or loss of mass in chemical reactions.

LAW OF CONSTANT COMPOSITION:

INTRODUCTION:
French chemist Louis Proust in 1979.
STATEMENT:
It states that different samples of the same compound always contain the same elements
combined together in the same proportion by mass.
EXAMPLE:
Water contain on part Hydrogen (H) and 8 parts of Oxygen (O) by mass
H2O 2:16 1:8 (parts by mass)
EXPERIMENT:
Berzelius heated 10g of lead (Pb) with various amount Sulphur (S), 11.56g of Lead Sulphide
was formed and excess of Sulphur was left over. When 18g of Lead (Pb) reacts with 1.56g
of Sulphur (S), 11.56g of Lead Sulphide (PbS) was formed and the 8g of lead (Pb) remained
unused.
EQUATION:
10g of Lead (Pb) + 1.56g of Sulphur (S) 11.56g of Lead Sulphide (PbS)
18g of Lead (Pb) + 1.56g of Sulphur (S) 11.56g of Lead Sulphide (PbS) + 8g of Lead (Pb)

LAW OF MULTIPLE PROPORTION:

INTRODUCTION:
John Dalton gave the law in 1803.
STATEMENT:
It states that if two elements combine to form more than one compounds, the masses of one
element that combine with a fixed mass of the other element are in the ratio of small whole
numbers or simple multiple ratio.

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CHAPTER # 2 LAW OF CHEMICAL COMBINATION

EXAMPLE:
Carbon (C) forms two stable compounds with oxygen (O) namely Carbon monoxide (CO)
and Carbon dioxide (CO2).
Compound Mass of Carbon Mass of Oxygen Ratio of Oxygen
Carbon monoxide CO 12 16 1
Carbon dioxide CO2 12 32 2

Another illustration of this law is the formation of water (H 2O) and (H2O2) from Hydrogen
and Oxygen.
Compound Mass of Hydrogen Mass of Oxygen Ratio of Oxygen
Water H2O 2 16 1
Hydrogen Peroxide H2O2 2 32 2

CONCLUSION:
The fact that the same element, can combine more than one ratio to form different
compounds was published in the form of law of multiple proportions.
LAW OF RECIPROCAL PROPORTION:
INTRODUCTION:
This law was introduced by Ritcher in (1792 – 94).
STATEMENT:
It states that “When two different elements separately combine with the fixed mass of third
element, the proportion in which they combine with one another shall be either in the same
ratio or some simple multiple of it”.
EXAMPLE:
When two elements C and O separately combine with H to form methane and water
respectively. In methane 3g of C combine with 1g of H in water 8g of O combine with same
fixed mass i.e. 1g of H. Now, when C and O combine with each other to form CO 2, they do
so in the same proportion i.e. 12:32 = 3:8 parts by mass.

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CHAPTER # 2 LAW OF CHEMICAL COMBINATION

CH4 H H2O
12:4 2:16
3:1 1:8
C O
CO2
12:32
i.e, 3:8

ATOMIC MASS:
The mass of an atom depends upon the number of protons and neutrons present in it.
Example: The mass of single hydrogen (H) atom is 1.6 x 10-24g
(0.000 000 000 000 000 000 000 0016g).

FORMULA:
A formula is a combination of symbols for atoms or ions, that are held together chemically in a
compound.
Example: empirical formula, molecular formula.

EMPIRICAL FORMULA:
A formula that gives only the relative number of each type of atoms present in a molecule.
Example: Benzene (CH), Glucose (CH2O)

MOLECULAR FORMULA:
Molecular formula indicates the actual number and type of atoms in a molecule. It can either be same
as empirical formula or some simple multiple of it.
Example: Benzene (C6H6), Glucose (C6H12O6)

MOLECULAR FORMULA MASS:

It is the sum of the atomic masses of all atoms present in the molecular formula of a substance or
molecule.
Example: C = 12 x 1 = 12 a.m.u.
O2 = 16 x 2 = 32 a.m.u.
Molecular formula mass of CO2 = 44 a.m.u.

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CHAPTER # 2 LAW OF CHEMICAL COMBINATION

FORMULA MASS:
It is the sum of the atomic masses of all atoms in a formula unit of substance.
Example: Na = 23 x 1 = 23 a.m.u.
Cl = 35.5 x 1 = 35.5 a.m.u.
Formula mass of NaCl = 58.5 a.m.u.

MOLAR MASS:
Molar mass of a substance is its relative molecular mass expressed in grams. Thus, molar mass
of a substance has a fixed unit expressed in grams.
Example: N = 1 x 14g = 14g
H3 = 3 x 1g = 3g
Molar mass of NH3 = 17g

MOLE:
A mole can be defined as “the molecular mass, atomic mass, and formula mass of a substance
expressed in grams.
Example: 1 mole of C = 12g
1 mole of Mg = 24g

AVOGADRO ’S NUMBER (NA):

A mole of substance always contains the same number of particles that is 6.02 x 1023 particles.
This constant number is called Avogadro’s number and is denoted by NA.
Example: 1 mole of H2O = 18g = 6.02 x 1023 molecules of water.
1 mole of CO2 = 44g = 6.02 x 1023 molecules of CO2.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EMPIRICAL AND MOLECULAR FORMULA:

EMPIRICAL MOLECULAR

It shows minimum simple ratio of atoms in a It shows actual number of each type of atoms
molecule. in a molecule.

It does not show the structural formula of the It can show the structural formula of the
compound. compound.

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CHAPTER # 2 LAW OF CHEMICAL COMBINATION

More than one compound can have same No two compounds can have same molecular
empirical formula. formula.

For example: Hydrogen per oxide (HO) For example: Hydrogen per oxide (H2O2)

ATOMIC MASS UNIT (a.m.u.):

The mass exactly equal to 1/12 the mass of C-12 atom is called 1 atomic mass unit. It is denoted
by a.m.u.
Example: Oxygen (O) = 16 a.m.u. ( Z= 8+N= 8).

CHEMICAL EQUATION:
It is short hand method of describing the chemical reaction, in term of symbols and formulae of
the substances involved in a chemical reaction.

REACTANTS:
The starting substances are called reactants and are always written on the left hand side.

PRODUCTS:
The substances which are produced (formed) are known as products and are always written on
right hand side of the equation.

CO-EFFICIENT:
The numbers in front of the formulae in a chemical equation are called co-efficients.
2H2 + O2 2H2O

CHEMICAL REACTION:
Any change, which alters the composition of a substance is a chemical reaction. For example,
when Iron (Fe) rusts reacts with Oxygen (O) of air in presence of moisture to form red brown
Iron oxide (rust).

TYPES OF CHEMICAL REACTION:

Chemical reaction can be divided commonly into five different type:

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CHAPTER # 2 LAW OF CHEMICAL COMBINATION

1. Decomposition Reactions:
A reaction in which a chemical substance breaks down to form two or more simpler
substances is called a decomposition reaction.
Example: Calcium carbonate decomposes into Calcium oxide and Carbon dioxide in
presence of heat.
CaCO3 (s) CaO (s) + CO2 (g)

2. Addition Reactions (Combination Reaction):

A reaction in which two or more substances combine to form a single substance is called
addition or combination reaction.
Example: Calcium oxide (CaO) reacts with carbon dioxide (CO2) to form calcium
carbonate.
CaO (S) + CO2 (g) CaCO3 (s)

3. Single Displacement Reactions:

A reaction in which one atom or group of atoms of a compound is replaced by another atom
or group of atom is defined as displacement or replacement reaction.

Example: Zinc (Zn) replaces hydrogen chloride (HCl) to give zinc chloride.
Zn + 2HCl ZnCl2 + H2

4. Double Displacement Reactions:

It is a reaction in which two compounds exchange their partners, so that two new compounds
are formed.
Example: When sodium chloride (NaCl) is reacted with silver nitrate (AgNO3) solution,
they exchange their partners to form two different compounds silver chloride
(AgCl) and sodium nitrate (NaNO3).
NaCl + AgNO3 AgCl + NaNO3

5. Combustion Reactions:
A reaction in which substances react with either free oxygen or oxygen of the air, with the
rapid release of heat and flame is called combustion reaction.
Example: When methane (CH4) gas burns in air, it forms carbon dioxide (CO 2) gas, water
(H2O) and heat.
CH4 + O2 CO2 + 2H2O + H (heat)

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