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Simply put, for any two substances containing a given element, the mass proportion of that element in the substance is a ratio of small whole numbers. |
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Two elements which form more than one compound between them will have compounds whose mass ratio between the two elements are related to each other as a ratio of small whole numbers. |
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For example, for two oxides? of carbon, the relative proportion of oxygen is the ratio? of 1:2 (for carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide). |
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For example, considering two of the carbon oxides: CO and CO2. In the first, the ratio is 1/1 and in the second 1/2. The ratio between these ratios is a ratio between small whole numbers, or 1/1 : 1/2 = 2:1 |
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