Which procedure did early chemists use to determine which substances were elements? a. they observed the substances that made up individual atoms. b. they mixed several substances together and observed the results. c. they broke down mixtures by chemical means. d. they physically broke down the elements they discovered.

Consider the reduction reactions and their equilibrium constants. cu+(aq)+e−↽−−⇀cu(s)pb2+(aq)+2e−↽−−⇀pb(s)fe3+(aq)+3e−↽−−⇀fe(=6.2×108=4.0×10−5=9.3×10−3 cu + ( aq ) + e − ↽ − − ⇀ cu ( s ) k =6.2× 10 8 pb 2 + ( aq ) +2 e − ↽ − − ⇀ pb ( s ) k =4.0× 10 − 5 fe 3 + ( aq ) +3 e − ↽ − − ⇀ fe ( s ) k =9.3× 10 − 3 arrange these ions from strongest to weakest oxidizing agent.