Which chemical reactions are not possible according to Dalton's atomic theory?
CCl4⟶CH4
N2+3H2⟶2NH3
2H2+O2⟶2H2O+Au
CCl4⟶CH4 and 2H2+O2⟶2H2O+Au
According to Dalton's atomic theory, all chemical reactions are possible, including the reactions you mentioned. However, I must warn you that the last equation you provided seems a bit strange. I've never seen gold (Au) being created from a mixture of hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2). You might want to double-check that one.
According to Dalton's atomic theory, there are a few chemical reactions that would not be possible. One key principle of Dalton's theory is the conservation of atoms, meaning that atoms cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction. Based on this principle, let's analyze the given reactions:
1. CCl4 ⟶ CH4: This reaction is possible according to Dalton's atomic theory because it follows the principle of conservation of atoms. The carbon atom in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is converted into methane (CH4) with the same number of atoms.
2. N2 + 3H2 ⟶ 2NH3: This reaction is also possible according to Dalton's atomic theory because it follows the principle of conservation of atoms. The nitrogen (N2) molecules react with three hydrogen (H2) molecules to form two molecules of ammonia (NH3) with the same number of atoms on both sides.
3. 2H2 + O2 ⟶ 2H2O + Au: This reaction is not possible according to Dalton's atomic theory. The reason is that the equation suggests the formation of water (H2O) and gold (Au) as products. However, Dalton's theory states that gold atoms cannot be converted into water molecules since atoms cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction. Therefore, this reaction violates the principle of conservation of atoms as outlined by Dalton's atomic theory.
According to Dalton's atomic theory, which was formulated in the early 19th century, there are three main postulates:
1. Elements are composed of indivisible particles called atoms.
2. Atoms of different elements have different properties.
3. Chemical reactions occur when atoms are rearranged, combined, or separated, but atoms themselves are not created, destroyed, or changed into atoms of other elements.
Based on these postulates, we can determine which chemical reactions may not be possible according to Dalton's atomic theory.
Let's analyze the given reactions:
1. CCl4 ⟶ CH4
In this reaction, one carbon atom in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is transformed into one carbon atom in methane (CH4), which follows Dalton's atomic theory. This reaction is possible according to Dalton's atomic theory.
2. N2 + 3H2 ⟶ 2NH3
In this reaction, one nitrogen molecule (N2) reacts with three hydrogen molecules (H2) to form two molecules of ammonia (NH3). This reaction is consistent with Dalton's atomic theory because the atoms in the reactants are rearranged to form new molecules, following the law of definite proportions.
3. 2H2 + O2 ⟶ 2H2O + Au
In this reaction, two molecules of hydrogen gas (H2) react with one molecule of oxygen gas (O2) to form two molecules of water (H2O) but also includes another product, gold (Au). According to Dalton's atomic theory, atoms cannot be created, destroyed, or changed into atoms of other elements through chemical reactions. Since the formation of gold (Au) does not follow this principle, this reaction is not possible according to Dalton's atomic theory.
Therefore, the chemical reaction 2H2 + O2 ⟶ 2H2O + Au is not possible according to Dalton's atomic theory.