How We Learned That Water Isn't An Element

The video explores the historical journey of understanding water's composition. Initially thought to be an element, water was later discovered to be a compound made of hydrogen and oxygen. Through experiments in the 1780s, chemists demonstrated that water could be created from simpler substances, debunking the idea of it being an element. The process of electrolysis further revealed water's building blocks. John Dalton's early model of water was incorrect, but Avogadro's breakthrough on gas volumes led to the correct understanding of water as H2O. This discovery was a significant achievement in chemistry.

In ancient times, what was water believed to be?

• A compound

• An element

• A mixture

• A solution

What process did chemists use to split water into hydrogen and oxygen?

• Combustion

• Distillation

• Electrolysis

• Filtration

Who made the first drawing of the water molecule?

• Dmitri Mendeleev

• Amedeo Avogadro

• Antoine Lavoisier

• John Dalton

What major breakthrough did an Italian chemist make regarding gases?

• Gases have different numbers of atoms

• Equal volumes of gases have the same number of molecules

• Gases can be converted into liquids

• Gases are lighter than solids

What is the correct composition of a water molecule?

• One hydrogen atom and two oxygen atoms

• Two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom

• Three hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom

• Two oxygen atoms and one hydrogen atom