Comment on how Dalton may have linked this to his ideas about atoms and atomic theory.

John Dalton, a British scientist, developed the atomic theory in the early 19th century. He proposed that all matter is composed of small, indestructible particles called atoms, which are identical for a given element but different from any other element.

Dalton's atomic theory was influenced by his research on gases. He observed that certain gases only combined in certain proportions even if he tried to change the amounts. This led him to the idea of relative atomic weights, where he believed that these proportions were due to the weight of the atoms involved.

For example, Dalton noticed that when he combined hydrogen and oxygen to form water, it always happened in a ratio of 2:1. This led him to conclude that a water molecule consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.

Dalton also used his atomic theory to explain the law of conservation of mass, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed. According to Dalton, chemical reactions involve the rearrangement of atoms, but no atoms are created or destroyed in the process.

In conclusion, Dalton's observations of how gases combine in fixed ratios led him to develop his atomic theory, which explained not only these ratios but also other chemical phenomena.