In 1811, Avogadro proposed that equal volumes of gases at the same temperature and pressure should contain equal number of molecules. Avogadro made a distinction between atoms and molecules which is quite understandable in the present Limes. If we consider again the reaction of hydrogen and oxygen to produce water, we see that two volumes of hydrogen combine with one volume of oxygen to give two volumes of water without leaving any unreacted oxygen.
Fig: two volumes of hydrogen react with one volume of oxygen to give two volumes of water vapor
Note that in the Figure, each box contains equal number of molecules. In fact, Avogadro could explain the above result by considering the molecules to be polyatomic. If hydrogen and oxygen were considered as diatomic as recognized now, then the above results are easily understandable. However, Dalton and others believed at that time that atoms of the same kind cannot combine and molecules of oxygen or hydrogen containing two atoms did not exist. Avogadro’s proposal was published in the French Journal de Physidue. In spite of being correct, it did not gain much support.
After about 50 years. in 1860, first international conference on chemistry was held in Karlsruhe. Germany to resolve various ideas. At the meeting, Stanislao Cannizaro presented a sketch of a course of chemical philosophy which emphasized the importance of Avogadro’s work.
