PPT Slide

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Gay-Lussac measured the volumes of hydrogen and oxygen gases that react to form water.

2 L hydrogen gas combined exactly with 1 L oxygen gas giving 2 L of water vapor.

He assumed that the gases are monoatomic.

If water is HO: 1 L hydrogen gas+1 L oxygen gas =1 L water vapor

H + O = HO

If water is H2O: 2 L hydrogen gas+1 L oxygen gas =1 L water vapor

2H + O = H2O

Actual result: 2 L hydrogen + 1 L oxygen = 2 L water vapor. The result did not seem to make sense.

Did each oxygen atom split in half forming two molecules of water?

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