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Meaning of Prout's hypothesis in English:

Prout's hypothesis

Pronunciation /ˈpraʊts hʌɪˌpɒθɪsɪs/

noun

historical Chemistry

  • The hypothesis that the atomic weights of chemical elements are integral multiples of the atomic weight of hydrogen.

    The hypothesis, which Prout and others interpreted to mean that atoms of heavier elements were built up of atoms of hydrogen (or that they might all be made from common building blocks), is not verified by measurement, although it is approximately correct in many cases.

Origin

Mid 19th century; earliest use found in William A. Miller (1817–1870), chemist. Fromthe genitive of the name of William Prout, English chemist and physician + hypothesis.