Why was John Dalton's science and discoveries that he did so important?

Answer 1

John's interest in gases came from his meteorological studies. He always carried his weather apparatus with him wherever he went, even on his infrequent vacations. He was constantly studying the weather and atmosphere. During his lifetime, John made over 200,000 observations, which he wrote in a journal, his constant companion. It was in these observations that his mathematical mind saw the numerical connections between the data. In 1803, while attempting to explain his law of partial pressures, John started to formulate his most important contribution to science the atomic theory. He was studying nitrogen oxides for Dr. Priestley's test for percentage of nitrogen in the air. Among the reactions he studied were those of nitric oxide with oxygen. He discovered that the reaction can take place in two different porportions in exact ratios, namely:

2NO + O ---> N2O3

NO + O ---> NO2

John stated that oxygen combines with nitrogen sometimes 1 to 1.7 and at other times 1 to 3.4 by weight. On 4 August 1803, he stated the law of multiple porportions: the weights of elements always combine with each other in small whole number ratios. John published his first list of atomic weights and symbols that year, which gave chemistry a language of its own.

Answer 2

John Dalton's science and discoveries were important because they laid the foundation for modern atomic theory. His work on the properties of gases led him to propose that all matter is made up of tiny, indivisible particles called atoms. He also introduced the concept of atomic masses and ratios in chemical reactions. Dalton's theories revolutionized the understanding of the composition and behavior of matter, providing a framework for further scientific inquiry and discovery.