Compound Chemistry Example 4

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Example 4

hard
Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2\text{H}_2\text{O}_2) and water (H2O\text{H}_2\text{O}) both contain hydrogen and oxygen. Explain why they are different compounds with different properties, even though they contain the same elements.

Solution

  1. 1
    H2O\text{H}_2\text{O} has a ratio of 2:1 (H:O), while H2O2\text{H}_2\text{O}_2 has a ratio of 1:1. The law of multiple proportions explains this — the same elements can combine in different whole-number ratios to form different compounds.
  2. 2
    The different ratios lead to different molecular structures and bonding. H2O2\text{H}_2\text{O}_2 has an O–O bond that is relatively weak and makes it a strong oxidizer, while H2O\text{H}_2\text{O} is very stable.
  3. 3
    This demonstrates that a compound's identity is defined by both which elements it contains and the ratio in which they are combined.

Answer

Different atom ratios → different structures → different properties\text{Different atom ratios → different structures → different properties}
The law of multiple proportions, established by John Dalton, states that when two elements form more than one compound, the ratios of masses are in simple whole numbers. Water and hydrogen peroxide perfectly illustrate this fundamental chemical law.

About Compound

A pure substance composed of two or more different elements chemically bonded together in a fixed ratio, whose properties differ entirely from those of its.

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More Compound Examples

Example 1 easy

Define a compound and explain how it differs from both an element and a mixture.

Example 2 medium

Water ([formula]) is a compound that can be decomposed by electrolysis. Write the equation for this

Example 3 medium

Classify each as an element, compound, or mixture: (a) table salt (NaCl), (b) oxygen gas ([formula])

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