A divalent metal oxide contains 60% of metal. What is atomic weight of metal?
wt of metal= 60 g
wt of oxygen= (100-60) g= 40 g
Eq. wt. of metal = wt. of metal/ wt of oxygen* 8
= 12
As metal is divalent, At. wt= Eq. wt* valency= 12*2 = 24
Why is the law of reciprocal proportion called the law of equivalent proportion?
Law of reciprocal proportion relates the proportions in which elements combine across a number of different elements. It is also called as equivalent proportion.
Example:
If element A combines with element B and also with C, if B and C combine together, the proportion by weight in which they do so will be simply related to the weights of B and C which separately combine with a constant weight of A.