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daltons law

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cardrap:
What are the limitations of daltons atomic theory?

Mitch:
Can you list some aspects of dalton's law?

cardrap:
  I understand  he stated that  only whole atoms can  participate in or result in any changes
 atoms cannot be created or destroyed during psychical or chemical changes

all substances are made up of indivisible particles i am not sure what the limitations of his theory are though. I realize that he did not know the size of an atom or the number of atoms in a substance   can you help?

Corvettaholic:
Atoms can't be destroyed? They get destroyed plenty in nuclear weapons I think.

Donaldson Tan:

--- Quote from: Corvettaholic on May 25, 2004, 06:41:08 PM ---Atoms can't be destroyed? They get destroyed plenty in nuclear weapons I think.

--- End quote ---

Cardap's right that atoms won't be destroyed during a chemical reaction. Nuclear weaponry physics definitely not a chemical reaction. A chemical reaction is said to occur when there is a change in distribution of electron density. No atoms is destroyed or any subatomic arrangement occurs in the process.

Dalton's theory is limited as mention in the first aspect that chemical reactions involve atoms. His theory doesnt account for chemical reaction between molecules and ions. But he is darn right abt the law of mass combination that the total mass on RHS of the chemical equation equals the to the total mass on the LHS.

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