
ALT How Atoms Were Weighed For The First Time Here's a more detailed explanation: Relative Weights, Not Absolute: Because atoms were too small to be weighed directly, scientists relied on relative measurements. They established a standard, often hydrogen, and assigned it a weight of 1. Comparing Combining Weights: By studying how elements combined in chemical reactions, scientists could determine the relative amounts of each element in a compound. For example, by analyzing water (H₂O), they could determine that oxygen combines with hydrogen in a ratio of 8:1 by weight. Dalton's Contributions: John Dalton, a key figure in early atomic theory, proposed that atoms had weight and that elements had distinct atomic weights. He used chemical analysis to determine the relative weights of various elements, using hydrogen as his reference point.
















