<P> Although very useful in the foundation of modern chemistry, the law of definite proportions is not universally true . There exist non-stoichiometric compounds whose elemental composition can vary from sample to sample . Such compounds follow the law of multiple proportion . An example is the iron oxide wüstite, which can contain between 0.83 and 0.95 iron atoms for every oxygen atom, and thus contain anywhere between 23% and 25% oxygen by mass . The ideal formula is FeO, but due to crystallographic vacancies it is reduced to about Fe O. In general, Proust's measurements were not accurate enough to detect such variations . </P> <P> In addition, the isotopic composition of an element can vary depending on its source, hence its contribution to the mass of even a pure stoichiometric compound may vary . This variation is used in geochemical dating since astronomical, atmospheric, oceanic, crustal and deep Earth processes may concentrate lighter or heavier isotopes preferentially . With the exception of hydrogen and its isotopes, the effect is usually small, but is measurable with modern instrumentation . </P> <P> An additional note: many natural polymers vary in composition (for instance DNA, proteins, carbohydrates) even when "pure". Polymers are generally not considered "pure chemical compounds" except when their molecular weight is uniform (monodisperse) and their stoichiometry is constant . In this unusual case, they still may violate the law due to isotopic variations . </P>

Who said a given compound always contains the same elements in the same proportions by mass