Law of definite proportions
- Law of definite proportions
- Definite Def"i*nite, a. [L. definitis, p. p. of definire: cf.
F. d['e]fini. See {Define}.]
1. Having certain or distinct; determinate in extent or
greatness; limited; fixed; as, definite dimensions; a
definite measure; a definite period or interval.
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Elements combine in definite proportions. --Whewell.
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2. Having certain limits in signification; determinate;
certain; precise; fixed; exact; clear; as, a definite
word, term, or expression.
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3. Determined; resolved. [Obs.] --Shak.
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4. Serving to define or restrict; limiting; determining; as,
the definite article.
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{Definite article} (Gram.), the article the, which is used to
designate a particular person or thing, or a particular
class of persons or things; -- also called a definitive.
See {Definitive}, n. -
{Definite inflorescence}. (Bot.) See {Determinate
inflorescence}, under {Determinate}.
{Law of definite proportions} (Chem.), the essential law of
chemical combination that every definite compound always
contains the same elements in the same proportions by
weight; and, if two or more elements form more than one
compound with each other, the relative proportions of each
are fixed. Compare Law of multiple proportions, under
{Multiple}.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
2000.
Look at other dictionaries:
Law of definite proportions — In chemistry, the law of definite proportions, sometimes called Proust s Law, states that a chemical compound always contains exactly the same proportion of elements by mass. An equivalent statement is the law of constant composition, which… … Wikipedia
law of definite proportions — law of def·i·nite pro·por·tions def (ə )nət prə pȯr shənz n a statement in chemistry: every definite compound always contains the same elements in the same proportions by weight * * * any compound always contains the same kind of elements in the … Medical dictionary
law of definite proportions — noun (chemistry) law stating that every pure substance always contains the same elements combined in the same proportions by weight • Syn: ↑law of constant proportion • Topics: ↑chemistry, ↑chemical science • Hypernyms: ↑law, ↑ … Useful english dictionary
law of definite proportions — Date: 1830 a statement in chemistry: every definite compound always contains the same elements in the same proportions by weight … New Collegiate Dictionary
law of constant proportions — n LAW OF DEFINITE PROPORTIONS … Medical dictionary
Law of multiple proportions — In chemistry, the law of multiple proportions is one of the basic laws and a major tool of chemical measurement (stoichiometry). It states that when elements combine they do so in a ratio of small whole numbers. For example, carbon and oxygen… … Wikipedia
law of constant proportions — pastoviųjų santykių dėsnis statusas T sritis fizika atitikmenys: angl. law of constant proportions; law of definite composition vok. Gesetz der konstanten Gewichtsverhältnisse, n; Gesetz der konstanten Proportionen, n; Gesetz der konstanten… … Fizikos terminų žodynas
law of definite composition — pastoviųjų santykių dėsnis statusas T sritis fizika atitikmenys: angl. law of constant proportions; law of definite composition vok. Gesetz der konstanten Gewichtsverhältnisse, n; Gesetz der konstanten Proportionen, n; Gesetz der konstanten… … Fizikos terminų žodynas
definite proportions, law of — ▪ chemistry statement that every chemical compound contains fixed and constant proportions (by weight) of its constituent elements. Although many experimenters had long assumed the truth of the principle in general, the French chemist… … Universalium
law of definite composition — 1. Chem. the statement that in a pure compound the elements are always combined in fixed proportions by weight. 2. Logic. the law that either a proposition or its denial must be true. * * * … Universalium
