LAW OF DEFINITE PROPORTIONS OR

CONSTANT COMPOSITION
(BY JOSEPH PROUST)

STATEMENT

A pure chemical compound always consists of the

same elements combined together in a fixed or
definite proportion by mass.
 ILLUSTRATION OF THE LAW
CO2 can be formed in the following ways :

a)By burning coke in air

C + O2 CO2

b)By the decomposition of limestone on heating

CaCO3 CaO + CO2

c)By the action of HCl on baking soda

NaHCO3 + HCl NaCl + H2O + CO2

In all the above samples of CO2 , the ratio of masses of C and O is

12:32 = 3:8
 NUMERICALS
Q. The mass of CuO obtained by heating 2.16g of metallic copper with nitric acid and
subsequent ignition was found to be 2.7g. In another experiment, 1.15g of CuO on
reduction yielded 0.92g of copper.Show that the data illustrates the law of constant
composition.

A. 1st case :
Mass of Copper = 2.16 g
Mass of CuO = 2.7g
Mass of oxygen = 2.7-2.16 = 0.54g
% of Cu =Mass of Cu x 100 = 2.16 x 100 = 80 %
Mass of CuO 2.70
% of O = 100-80 = 20 %

2nd case :
Mass of Copper = 0.92 g
Mass of CuO = 1.15 g
Mass of oxygen = 1.15-0.92 = 0.23 g
% of Cu =Mass of Cu x 100 = 0.92 x 100 = 80 %
Mass of CuO 1.15
% of O = 100-80 = 20 %
Since the ratio of masses of Cu and O is same in both the cases , the law is verified.
Q. 2.8g of calcium oxide prepared by heating limestone was found to contain 0.8 g of
oxygen.When 1 g of oxygen is treated with calcium, 3.5 g of calcium oxide was
obtained. Show that the result illustrates the law of definite proportion.

A. 1st case
Mass of CaO = 2.8 g
Mass of oxygen = 0.8 g
Mass of calcium = 2.8-0.8 = 2 g
Ratio of mass of calcium to that of oxygen = 2/0.8 = 2.5

2nd case
Mass of CaO = 3.5 g
Mass of oxygen = 1 g
Mass of calcium = 3.5-1 = 2.5 g
Ratio of mass of calcium to that of oxygen = 2.5/1 = 2.5

Thus, the ratios of mass of calcium to the mass of oxygen in both the samples of CaO
is same which is in agreement with law of definite proportion.
In case of isotopes the ratio is not fixed.

Example
a)In CO2 , using 12C isotope, the ratio of C:O = 12:32 = 3:8
b)In CO2 , using 14C isotope, the ratio of C:O = 14:32 = 7:16
The converse of this law is not true. There are some compounds in
which the same elements combine together in the same proportion,
give different compounds. For e.g. Dimethyl ether (CH 3-O-CH3) and
Ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH) have the same molecular formula C 2H6O, and
hence they contain the same elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
combining in the proportion 24:6:16 i.e. 12:3:8 by weight. But these
two compounds are entirely different having different properties.
Such compounds are called isomers.
 LAW OF MULTIPLE PROPORTION

If two elements combine to form two or more

compounds, the masses of one of the elements
which combines with a fixed mass of the other in
these compounds bear a simple whole number
ratio.
 ILLUSTRATION OF THE LAW
The elements H and O combine to form the compounds
water (H2O) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)

In H2O, 2 grams of H combines with 16 grams of O

In H2O2,2 grams of H combines with 32 grams of O

So, keeping the mass of H fixed (2g) in both the

compounds, the ratios of masses of O in the two
compounds = 16:32 = 1:2 (simple whole no ratio).
 NUMERICALS
Q. Two different compounds are formed by the
elements carbon and oxygen. The first compound
contains 42.9% by mass carbon and 57.1% by mass
oxygen. The second compound contains 27.3% by
mass carbon and 72.7% by mass oxygen. Show that
the data are consistent with the law of multiple
proportion.
ANS.
1st Compound
Out of 100 g of the compound, it contains 42.9 g C and 57.1 g O.
42.9 g C combines with 57.1 g O
57.1
1g C combines with 42.9 g O = 1.33

2nd Compound
Out of 100 g of the compound, it contains 27.3 g C and 72.7 g O.
27.3 g C combines with 72.7 g O
72.7
1 g C combines with 27.3 g O = 2.66
Taking 1 g C fixed for both the compounds, the ratio of masses of
O in the 1st and 2nd compound= 1.33 : 2.66
=1:2
(simple whole no ratio)
Thus it is consistent with the law of multiple proportion.