The Amazing Atom!

Dalton's Atomic Theory

Mr. Kneidl – Chemistry

Malcolm X Shabazz High School
 John Dalton

Dalton believed that all
things were made of
atoms. Though the
idea was proposed
thousands of years
earlier, Dalton used
science to back up his
ideas. This makes it
one of the most
important theories in all
of science.
 The Three Laws

Dalton didn't design his theory all by himself. He did
however note three things that led him to be able to
write a scientific theory about the existence of atoms.

The Law of Conservations of Mass

The Law of Definite Proportions

The Law of Multiple Proportions
The Law of Conservation of Mass

Mass is neither destroyed nor

created during ordinary chemical
reactions.

Meaning: The mass you start with will ALWAYS

equal the mass you end up with.
The Law of Conservation of Mass
H ig h
v o lt a g e
e le c t r o d e s

B e f o r e r e a c t io n g la s s A f t e r r e a c t io n
cham ber
O 2

H ig h
v o lt a g e

H 2O

H 5 .0 g H 2
2
O 2 0 g H 2
80 g O 2
4 ?5 g HH 2 O
3 0 0 g (m a s s
o f c h a m b e r) 40 g O 2
+
3 8 5 g to ta l 3 0 0 g (m a s s
o f c h a m b e r)
+
3 8 5 g to ta l
The Law of Definite Proportions

The fact that a chemical compound contains

the same elements in exactly the same
proportions by mass regardless of the size
of the sample or source of the compound.
 The Law of Definite Proportions
Huh?
Water will always be 1 gram of Hydrogen to
8 grams of Oxygen

Copper Carbonate will always have the same

proportions
+ +

103 g of 53 g of 40 g of oxygen 1 0 g o f c a rb o n
c o p p e r c a rb o n a te copper
The Law of Multiple Proportions

If two elements form more than one

compound, the ratio of the second element
that combines with 1 gram of the first
element in each is a simple whole number.
The Law of Multiple Proportions
Huh?
An example. Water and Hydrogen Peroxide.
Both are made of water and hydrogen.
H2O & H 2 O2
water hydrogen peroxide

Ratio of oxygen is 1:2 (an exact ratio)

 The Law of Multiple Proportions
• Water is 8 grams of oxygen per gram of
hydrogen.
• Hydrogen peroxide is 16 grams of oxygen per
gram of hydrogen.
• 16 g to 8 g is a 2:1 ratio
• Of course! You need to add a whole atom, you
can’t add a piece of an atom.

How Fancy.
 Recap

Dalton crafted his theory on atoms because of
three known laws.

The Law of Conservation of Mass

The Law of Definite Proportions

The Law of Multiple Proportions
Dalton's Atomic Theory
• Dalton stated that elements
consisted of tiny particles called
atoms

• He also called the elements pure

substances because all atoms of an
element were identical and that in
particular they had the same mass.
 Dalton's Atomic Theory
 All matter is composed of extremely small particles called atoms
which cannot be subdivided, created, or destroyed.
 Atoms of a given element are identical in their physical and
chemical properties.
 Atoms of different elements differ in their physical and chemical
properties.
 Atoms of different elements combine in simple, whole number
ratios to form compounds.

In chemical reactions, atoms are combined, separated, or
rearranged but never created, destroyed, or changed.
 Homework
As you can see, Dalton has 5 principles to his theory. We said before that
he based his theory primarily on three laws. The law of conservation of
mass, the law of definite proportions, and the law of multiple
proportions.
Your assignment is to relate the 5 principles of Dalton's theory to the three
laws or other ideas by older scientists. Some theories may be used more
than once, but all theories must be used at some point. This assignment
is due by next class and you may work on this assignment until the bell
rings.
Hooray!