Three common gaseous compounds of nitrogen and oxygen of different elementary composition are known: (A) laughing gas containing 63.65% nitrogen, (B) a colorless gas containing 46.68% nitrogen, and (C) a brown toxic gas containing 30.45% nitrogen. Show how these data illustrate the law of multiple proportions.

Please find how these data prove the law of multiple proportions below

Explanation:

The law of multiple proportions was proposed by an English chemist called John Dalton. The law states that when two elements combine and to form more than one compound. The weights/masses of the second element in the two compounds, which combines with a fixed ratio of the first element, is in a simple whole number ratio.

In this question, Nitrogen is said to combine with oxygen to give three different compounds as follows:

A) laughing gas containing 63.65% nitrogen i.e. 0.6365g

This means that the mass of oxygen will be (1-0.6365) = 0.3635g

B) colorless gas containing 46.68% nitrogen i.e. 0.4668g

This means that the mass of oxygen will be 0.5332g

C) brown toxic gas containing 30.45% nitrogen i.e. 0.3045g

This means that the mass of oxygen will be 0.6955g

The ratios of oxygen in the three compounds is therefore:

0.3635: 0.5332: 0.6955

Divide this ratio by the smallest number (0.3635)

0.3635/0.3635 = 1

0.5332/0.3635 = 1.467

0.6955/0.3635 = 1.913

Multiply this ratio by 2, we have:

2: 2.9 : 3.8

Hence, the simple whole number ratio is 2:3:4.

This proves the law of multiple proportions that oxygen is in simple whole number ratio in the three different compounds.