Essay on The History of Chemistry

John Dalton wrote the modern atomic theory, a fundamental component of that is, the mole ratios of elements in a compound will be small whole numbers.

Alchemy (Early Chemistry) was another science closely related to medicine. Alchemy was the name given to this science in Latin Europe in the 12th century. It was a belief that the human body was closely related to the stars and the heavens. Over hundreds of years, the main goals of alchemists were to turn any metal into gold and discover an elixir which could cure all ills or lead to immortality. This magical elixir was called the philosopher’s stone. Alchemy was based on the belief that there are four basic elements – fire, earth, air and water – and three essentials – salt, sulfur and mercury. The metals gold, silver, copper, lead, iron, and tin were all known before the rise of alchemy. The liquid metal, mercury, and the burning rock, sulfur, were also known. Many processes with these elements were known to alchemists. The art of alchemy was heavily spiritual. Alchemists were the first to try out different ideas and experiment with different elements, but because of their intense metaphysical and spiritual beliefs, they didn’t develop modern day scientific methods.

Later, in the Seventeenth Century, a German chemist named Georg Ernst Stahl was the first to postulate on chemical reaction, specifically, combustion. He said that a substance called phlogiston escaped into the air from all substances during combustion.

An influential person at this time was the English chemist Robert Boyle. Boyle improved upon the alchemists’ view of chemicals by describing chemicals as basic building blocks. Also, he said that tiny particles made up all matter and had predictable behavior. Boyle, learned of the difference between singular elements and chemical compounds. He also described how gases are affected by temperature and pressure.

  Then in 1661, Irish chemist Robert Boyle supported the philosophers’ theory of how chemical elements are made up of the simplest matter, backing the theory of how matter makes up all life and is the smallest living thing (Doc. 1). But a bombshell happened in 1803 when John Dalton backed up all three theories by discovering that atoms make up all matter, and chemical compounds are made of atoms (OI).

Around 1803 John Dalton, an English chemist developed the first useful atomic theory of matter. Amedeo Avogadro, the Italian chemist in 1811 published an article drawing the distinction between the atom and the molecule, which now is known as “Avogadro’s

Over the course of the last 5000 years, mankind’s knowledge has been constantly advancing. Chemistry, a branch of science, has experienced a tremendous leap and expansions since ancient Greek civilization. One of the major breakthroughs in the advancement in Chemistry was the creation of the Atomic theory, which laid a foundation for the modern-day Chemistry and future of science. The Atomic theory introduced the idea of atoms, which are defined as the discrete units of matter. There are five key scientists that significantly contributed to the Atomic model over a span of thousands of years. They are: Democritus, John Dalton, J.J. Thompson, Ernest Rutherford, and Niels Bohr.

The studies of chemistry and physics have shaped understanding of the world today. In fact, they have altered the mindset and reasoning of society, leading to an age in which discoveries are consistently being sought after and achieved. However, it must be noted that the origin for the basis of understanding used today in fields such as chemistry derived almost entirely from the scientists of the 1800’s. In this thorough and precise essay, the incubator for some of the world’s most innovative researchers and pioneers in chemistry and physics will be discussed – the Cavendish Laboratory.

Medieval alchemists “invented new ways to isolate, purify, and concentrate substances” (Challenging Limits). The alchemists established the value of analysis, which was fundamental to what became chemistry. First, it was Antonie de Lavoisier who used the techniques to move into the modern age of chemistry. He started by isolating elements and identifying the basic building blocks of nature. Even Humphry Davy was interested in learning the basic building blocks of nature. Until, in 1898, a new element was discovered that drew many questions to scientists. Radium had glowed in the dark and when photographed seemed to be giving off its own energy. At the time, no one knew that the radium was a deadly poison, which harmed human tissue. However, the effect on photographic plates that radium gave allowed humans to discover x-ray scans. These x-ray scans allow us to diagnose and treat diseases. With all of these elements taken into consideration, scientist began to ask themselves, “what are the elements made

the chemistry's older brother, which is Alchemy. After his death in 1727, about a decade later scientists came to

He said that elements consisted of identical atoms that had the same mass and that compounds were atoms from different elements combined together. (The Doc.2014)

Chemistry has had a large impact on medicine as we know it today. In fact medicine would have never gotten as advanced as it has today without chemistry to help it out. Everything that medicine does is based on chemistry at its core. A long time ago when there was not nearly as much knowledge of chemistry and the medicine was much more basic as well. All of medicine is made of different elements in one way or another. Chemistry will probably also have impacts on the discoveries in medicine yet to come.

The Discovery of the Atom first came from the Greeks which made a theory “The idea that all matter is made up of tiny, indivisible particles, or atoms, is believed to have originated with the Greek philosopher Leucippus of Miletus and his student Democritus of Abdera in the 5th century B.C. (The word atom comes from the Greek word atomos, which means “indivisible.”)” (InfoPlease Atomic theory)

Although organic reactions have been conducted by man since the discovery of fire, the science of Organic chemistry did not develop until the turn of the eighteenth century, mainly in France at first, then in Germany, later on in England. By far the largest variety of materials that bombard us are made up of organic elements. The beginning of the Ninetieth century was also the dawn of chemistry, all organic substances were understood

Alchemy is considered the precursor to modern chemistry. When you think of chemistry, usually you think of an exact science; something very meticulous. Truthfully, it is. To be accurate and to obtain precise and desired results, it must be accurate. Alchemy, however, was not an exact science, it was a primitive approach to the elements and usually they looked to a deity to actually initiate chemical reactions. Thus we separated them, but for good reason. In today's time we us instruments to give us exactness and precision that mankind had formerly ignored. Throughout time you will see that mankind has used chemistry to solve its most complex of problems and build a world that 7 billion people have come to know as home.