what is meant by law of reciprocal proportions? please explain
When two different elements combine separately with the same weight of a third element, the proportion in which they combine with one another is in the same ratio or some simple multiple of it.
For example, oxygen and sulphur react with carbon to form carbondioxide and carbondisulphide respectively. Sulphur and oxygen also react with each other to give SO2. Then,
In CO2, C:O = 12:32 = 6:16
In CS2, C:S = 12:64= 3:16
O:S = 6:3 = 2:1 = 2
Now in SO2
S:O = 32:32 = 1:1
O:S = 1:1 = 1
As, 2 is a multiple of 1, this follows reciprocal proportions.
For example, oxygen and sulphur react with carbon to form carbondioxide and carbondisulphide respectively. Sulphur and oxygen also react with each other to give SO2. Then,
In CO2, C:O = 12:32 = 6:16
In CS2, C:S = 12:64= 3:16
O:S = 6:3 = 2:1 = 2Now in SO2
S:O = 32:32 = 1:1
O:S = 1:1 = 1
As, 2 is a multiple of 1, this follows reciprocal proportions.