alleryStart learning →A compound, in Dalton's terms, consists of atoms of two or more elements combined in:
AAny continuous proportion
BEqual masses of each part
CA ratio that changes freely
DA small whole-number ratio
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. A small whole-number ratio
1. Dalton's hypotheses describe how atoms combine as well as what they are.
2. A compound consists of atoms of two or more elements combined in a small, whole-number ratio.
3. That fixed ratio is what makes the law of definite proportions follow.
4. If the proportion could vary continuously, a compound would have no definite formula.
5. Equal masses is a different and generally false claim.
_Source: OpenStax Chemistry 2e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 2 'Atoms, Molecules, and Ions', sections 2.1-2.6_
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