Sulfur and oxygen form both sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide. When samples of these are decomposed, the sulfur dioxide produces 3.52 g oxygen and 3.53 g sulfur, while the sulfur trioxide produces 9.00 g oxygen and 6.00 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

See explanation

Explanation:

For sulphur dioxide;

3.53 g of sulphur combines with 3.52 g of oxygen

1.00 g of sulphur combines with 1.00 × 3.52/ 3.53 = 0.997 g

For sulphur trioxide

6.00 of sulphur combines with 9.00 g of oxygen

1.00 g of sulphur combines with 1.00 × 9.00/6.00 =1.5 g

Ratio of mass of oxygen;

1 : 1.5

The law of multiple proportions states that, if two elements A and B combine to form more than one chemical compounds, then the various masses of element A which combines separately with a fixed mass of element B are in simple multiple ratio.

We can see that the mass of oxygen which combines separately with sulphur in sulphur dioxide and sulphur trioxide are in simple ratio of 1:1.5.

why do the isotopes of a particular element behave differently in nuclear reactions but the same in chemical reactions? chemical reactions involve changes to electrons in an atom; isotopes do not differ in electrons, and so they react the same way during chemical changes.