Question

What is meant by law of chemical equivalent?

Answer 1

The Law of Chemical Equivalent refers to the principle that when two or more substances react with each other, they do so in a specific ratio based on their chemical equivalents. This law is useful in understanding how substances interact during chemical reactions, especially in terms of their reacting masses.

In simple terms:

1. Chemical equivalent of a substance is the amount of that substance which will react with or supply one mole of hydrogen atoms, or one mole of another standard substance in a chemical reaction.
   

1. The law states that the masses of different substances that combine with a fixed mass of another substance are in the ratio of their chemical equivalents.
   

To explain more clearly:

1. Chemical Equivalent: The chemical equivalent of a substance is the mass of that substance which will react with or replace 1 gram of hydrogen, 8 grams of oxygen, or 35.5 grams of chlorine, based on a standard reference.
   

   

1. Example:
   

   - If you have a certain amount of hydrochloric acid (HCl) reacting with a certain amount of sodium hydroxide (NaOH), the law of chemical equivalent helps determine how much of NaOH will react with a fixed amount of HCl. It also tells you the ratio of their masses based on their equivalents.
   

1. Why is it important?: It helps chemists understand and predict the exact quantities of reactants needed for a reaction to go to completion, ensuring that no reactant is wasted and that the reaction occurs efficiently.
   

Real-world analogy:

Think of the law of chemical equivalent like making a recipe where you know the exact amount of ingredients (based on their chemical equivalents) needed to make a specific dish. If you use too much or too little of any ingredient, the dish won't turn out right, just like in a chemical reaction.