What is a postulate?
A word Dalton's theory uses.
A new word
Dalton gave his atomic theory as a list of postulates.
What do you think a postulate is?
What this lesson covers
The idea
A postulate is a fundamental assumption accepted as truth without formal proof, from which further ideas are developed.
A new word
Dalton gave his atomic theory as a list of postulates.
What do you think a postulate is?
- An assumption accepted as true without formal proof
- A result that was proved step by step
- A mistake that was later corrected
Three tabs
Open every tab to learn about postulates.
An assumption to start from
A postulate is not something we prove first. We accept it, and then build ideas on it. Dalton's postulates were built from earlier experiments.
A postulate is a fundamental assumption accepted as truth without formal proof, from which further ideas are developed.
Notes
A postulate is a fundamental assumption accepted as true without formal proof. Further ideas are developed from it.
Check yourself
What is a postulate?
What is a postulate used for?
Which of these was one of Dalton's postulates?
Dalton's postulates combined which earlier results?
- A fundamental assumption accepted as truth without formal proof — correct. Yes!
- A result that must be proved before it is used. A postulate is accepted without formal proof. It is where reasoning starts.
- A law that is no longer used. Postulates are used as the starting point for developing further ideas.
- To stop anyone from building further ideas. Further ideas are formed or developed from a postulate.
- Further ideas are formed or developed from it — correct. Yes!
- To measure the mass of an atom. A postulate is an assumption, not a measuring tool.
- Atoms can be created in a chemical reaction. Dalton postulated that atoms cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction.
- Atoms of a given element differ in mass. Dalton postulated that atoms of a given element are identical in mass and chemical properties.
- Atoms of different elements have different masses and chemical properties — correct. Yes!
- Earlier experimental observations — correct. Yes!
- Guesses with no link to experiments. The book says the postulates combined earlier experimental observations.
- Proofs that atoms can be split. Dalton postulated that atoms are indivisible, so they cannot be split in a chemical reaction.