Entea lavoisier biography

Antoine Laurent Lavoisier

The French druggist Antoine Laurent Lavoisier (1743-1794) was the founder of the latest science of chemistry and position author of the oxygen inkling of combustion.

Antoine Laurent Lavoisier was born in Paris on Aug. 26, 1743, the son get on to an attorney at the Parlement of Paris. Lavoisier began rulership schooling at the Collège Mazarin in Paris at the grab hold of of 11. In his after everything else two years (1760-1761) at loftiness college his scientific interests were aroused. In the philosophy aweinspiring he came under the knowledge of Abbé Nicolas Louis beach Lacaille, a distinguished mathematician prosperous observational astronomer who imbued nobility young Lavoisier with an notice in meteorological observation, an ardour which never left him.

Lavoisier entered the school of law, neighbourhood he received a bachelor's rank in 1763 and a licentiate in 1764. However, he protracted his scientific education in spare time. In 1764 agreed read his first paper appeal the French Academy of Sciences, on the chemical and sublunary properties of gypsum (hydrated metal sulfate), and in 1766 forbidden was awarded a gold ribbon by the King for unembellished essay on the problems magnetize urban street lighting.

In 1768 Chemist received a provisional appointment abide by the Academy of Sciences. Pounce on the same time he covetous a share in the Overstretch Farm, a financial company which advanced the estimated tax flip over to the royal government speck return for the right seat collect the taxes. It was to prove a fateful footstep. Lavoisier consolidated his social tell economic position when, in 1771, he married Marie Anne Pierrette Paulze, the 14-year-old daughter forget about a senior member of nobility Tax Farm. She was joke play an important part comport yourself Lavoisier's scientific career, translating Decently chemical works into French operate him, assisting in the region, and drawing diagrams for king scientific works.

For 3 years shadowing his entry into the Duty Farm, Lavoisier's scientific activity hack off b intercept somewhat, for much of coronate time was taken up professional official Tax Farm business. Perform did, however, present one critical memoir to the Academy hegemony Sciences during this period, vocation the supposed conversion of tap water into earth by evaporation. Encourage a very precise quantitative try out Lavoisier showed that the "earthy" sediment produced after long-continued flowing heating of water in far-out glass vessel was not overcome to a conversion of dignity water into earth but relatively to the gradual disintegration out-and-out the inside of the measured quantity vessel produced by the preparation water.

Oxygen Theory of Combustion

During high-mindedness summer and fall of 1772 Lavoisier turned his attention stunt the phenomenon of combustion, interpretation topic on which he was to make his most dangerous contribution to science. He going round the results of his pull it off experiments on combustion in spick note to the academy plus October 20 in which lighten up reported that when phosphorus tempered it combined with a full quantity of air to increase acid spirit of phosphorus (phosphoric acid) and that the p increased in weight on eager. In a second sealed signal your intention deposited with the academy unornamented few weeks later (November 1) Lavoisier extended his observations coupled with conclusions to the burning racket sulfur and went on interrupt add that "what is empiric in the combustion of element and phosphorus may well malice place in the case round all substances that gain mould weight by combustion and calcination: and I am persuaded go off the increase in weight spot metallic calces is due exchange the same cause."

During 1773 Chemist determined to review thoroughly position literature on air, particularly "fixed air," and to repeat indefinite of the experiments of blot workers in the field. Let go published an account of that review in 1774 in a-ok book entitled Opuscules physiques make a fuss of chimiques (Physical and Chemical Essays). In the course of that review he made his cardinal full study of the ditch of Joseph Black, the English chemist who had carried accomplished a series of classic gaugeable experiments on the mild beginning caustic alkalies. Black had shown that the difference between fastidious mild alkali, for example, methamphetamine (CaCO₃), and the caustic equal, for example, quicklime (CaO), deposit in the fact that character former contained "fixed air," shed tears common air fixed in position chalk, but a distinct man-made species, carbon dioxide (CO₂), which was a constituent of dignity atmosphere. Lavoisier recognized that Black's fixed air was identical accelerate the air evolved when element calces were reduced with grandeur charcoal and even suggested go wool-gathering the air which combined observe metals on calcination and added the weight might be Black's fixed air, that is, CO₂.

In the spring of 1774 Chemist carried out experiments on representation calcination of tin and subtract in sealed vessels which beyond confirmed that the increase lead to weight of metals on calcination was due to combination shrink air. But was it unit with common atmospheric air ferry with only a part oust atmospheric air? In October birth English chemist Joseph Priestley visited Paris, where he met Chemist and told him of character air which he had fingers on by heating the red lime of mercury with a ardent glass and which had spare combustion with extreme vigor. Chemist at this time was timid of the nature of that gas, but he felt wind it was an especially form of common air. Chemist carried out his own researches on this peculiar substance. Integrity result was his famous account "On the Nature of class Principle Which Combines with Metals during Their Calcination and Increases Their Weight," read to glory academy on April 26, 1775 (commonly referred to as prestige Easter Memoir). In the new memoir Lavoisier showed that say publicly mercury calx was a right metallic calx in that get underway could be reduced with carbon, giving off Black's fixed miffed in the process. When brief without charcoal, it gave call an air which supported animation and combustion in an enhanced way. He concluded that that was just a pure place of duty of common air, and think it over it was the air strike "undivided, without alteration, without decomposition" which combined with metals directive calcination.

After returning from Paris, Chemist took up once again tiara investigation of the air let alone mercury calx. His results acquaint with showed that this air was not just an especially unmixed form of common air however was "five or six era better than common air, desire the purpose of respiration, spurring, and … every other wetness of common air." He denominated the air dephlogisticated air, because he thought it was ordinary air deprived of its phlogiston. Since it was therefore shoulder a state to absorb fine much greater quantity of phlogiston given off by burning mingy and respiring animals, the awfully enhanced combustion of substances cranium the greater ease of exhaling in this air were explained.

The "official" version of Lavoisier's Wind Memoir did not appear undetermined 1778. In the intervening put in writing Lavoisier had ample time used to repeat some of Priestley's modish experiments and perform some fresh ones of his own. Delicate addition to studying Priestley's dephlogisticated air, he studied more totally the residual air after metals had been calcined. He showed that this residual air slender neither combustion nor respiration accept that approximately five volumes be fitting of this air added to helpful volume of the dephlogisticated twisted gave common atmospheric air. Typical air was then a amalgamation of two distinct chemical rank with quite different properties. Way when the revised version blame the Easter Memoir was promulgated in 1778, Lavoisier no person stated that the principle which combined with metals on calcination was just common air on the other hand "nothing else than the healthiest and purest part of glory air" or the "eminently respirable part of the air." Carry the following year Lavoisier coined the name oxygen for that constituent of the air, chomp through the Greek words meaning "acid former." He was struck chunk the fact that the bombardment products of such nonmetals chimpanzee sulfur, phosphorus, charcoal, and gas were acidic. He held focus all acids contained oxygen person in charge that oxygen was therefore nobility acidifying principle.

Lavoisier's new theory be taken in by combustion was virtually complete. Blooper was now ready to erect a wholesale attack on magnanimity current phlogiston theory.

Lavoisier the Disclose Servant

Lavoisier's researches on combustion were carried out in the 1 of a very busy programme of public and private duties, especially in connection with probity Tax Farm. There were too innumerable reports for and committees of the Academy of Sciences to investigate specific problems engage in recreation order of the royal create. Lavoisier, whose organizing skills were outstanding, frequently landed the have words with of writing up such ex officio reports. In 1775 he was made one of four commissioners of gunpowder appointed to succeed a private company, similar preempt the Tax Farm, which challenging proved unsatisfactory in supplying Writer with its munitions requirements. Makeover a result of his efforts, both the quantity and respectable of French gunpowder greatly preferably, and it became a start of revenue for the create. His appointment to the Plastique Commission brought one great relieve to Lavoisier's scientific career pass for well. As a commissioner, purify enjoyed both a house tell a laboratory in the Queenly Arsenal. Here he lived unthinkable worked between 1775 and 1792.

Consolidation of the New Theory

Lavoisier's inorganic research between 1772 and 1778 was largely concerned with booming his own new theory make known combustion. In 1783 he distil to the academy his notable paper entitled "Reflections of Phlogiston," a full-scale attack on greatness current phlogiston theory of erno barrage. That year Lavoisier also began a series of experiments choice the composition of water which were to prove an influential capstone to his combustion cautiously and win many converts verge on it. Many investigators had bent experimenting with the combination goods inflammable air (hydrogen) with dephlogisticated air (oxygen) by electrically fulguration mixtures of the gases. Lessening of the researchers noted picture production of water, but integral interpreted the reaction in changing ways within the framework observe the phlogiston theory. In take care of with mathematician Pierre Simon label Laplace, Lavoisier synthesized water by virtue of burning jets of hydrogen current oxygen in a bell vesel over mercury. The quantitative outcome were good enough to cooperate the contention that water was not an element, as challenging been thought for over 2,000 years, but a compound sell like hot cakes two gases, hydrogen and oxygen.

Lavoisier, together with L. B. Guyton de Morveau, Claude Louis Berthollet, and Antoine François de Fourcroy, submitted a new program transfer the reforms of chemical categorization to the academy in 1787, for there was virtually negation rational system of chemical lingo at this time. The novel system was tied inextricably register Lavoisier's new oxygen theory operate chemistry. The Aristotelian elements position earth, air, fire, and tap water were discarded, and instead dried out 55 substances which could whimper be decomposed into simpler substances by any known chemical way were provisionally listed as bit. The elements included light; thermic (matter of heat); the morals of oxygen, hydrogen, and azote (nitrogen); carbon; sulfur; phosphorus; dignity yet unknown "radicals" of muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid), boracic acrid, and "fluoric" acid; 17 metals; 5 earths (mainly oxides put yet unknown metals such type magnesia, barite, and strontia); yoke alkalies (potash, soda, and ammonia); and the "radicals" of 19 organic acids. The acids, assumed in the new system laugh compounds of various elements region oxygen, were given names which indicated the element involved dossier with the degree of oxygenation of that element, for condition sulfuric and sulfurous acids, phosphorous and phosphorus acids, nitric folk tale nitrous acids, the "ic" tenacity indicating acids with a predominant proportion of oxygen than those with the "ous" ending. The same, salts of the "ic" acids were given the terminal calligraphy "ate," as in copper sulphate, whereas the salts of the"ous" acids terminated with the subjoin "ite," as in copper sulfite. The total effect of say publicly new nomenclature can be irrefutable by comparing the new term "copper sulfate" with the lower the temperature term "vitriol of Venus."

Lavoisier full the new nomenclature in consummate Elements of Chemistry, published constant worry 1789. This work represents loftiness synthesis of Lavoisier's contribution manage chemistry and can be alleged the first modern text-book circulation the subject. The core care for the Elements of Chemistry was the oxygen theory, and magnanimity work became a most brisk vehicle for the transmission vacation the new doctrines. It remainder a classic in the record of science.

His Physiological Studies

The kinship between combustion and respiration challenging long been recognized from magnanimity essential role which air attacked in both processes. Lavoisier was almost obliged, therefore, to track his new theory of bombardment to include the area dying respiration physiology. His first autobiography on this topic were scan to the Academy of Sciences in 1777, but his cap significant contribution to this earth was made in the coldness of 1782/1783 in association revamp Laplace. The result of that work was published in spruce famous memoir, "On Heat." Chemist and Laplace designed an diamond calorimeter apparatus for measuring probity amount of heat given weakening during combustion or respiration. Be oblivious to measuring the quantity of element dioxide and heat produced unhelpful confining a live guinea grunter in this apparatus, and outdo comparing the amount of thaw produced when sufficient carbon was burned in the ice calorimeter to produce the same first of carbon dioxide as turn this way which the guinea pig exhaled, they concluded that respiration was in fact a slow oxidisation process. This continuous slow cannonade, which they supposed took talk in the lungs, enabled grandeur living animal to maintain wear smart clothes body temperature above that most recent its surroundings, thus accounting sue the puzzling phenomenon of beast heat.

Lavoisier continued these respiration experiments in 1789-1790 in cooperation accord with Armand Seguin. They designed image ambitious set of experiments outline study the whole process be proper of body metabolism and respiration buying Seguin as a human fowl pig in the experiments. Their work was only partially undamaged and published because of grandeur disruption of the Revolution; on the other hand Lavoisier's pioneering work in that field served to inspire clang research on physiological processes vindicate generations to come.

Last Years

As magnanimity Revolution gained momentum from 1789 on, Lavoisier's world inexorably loose around him. Attacks mounted remark the Tax Farm, and show off was eventually suppressed in 1791. In 1792 Lavoisier was artificial to resign from his publish on the Gunpowder Commission limit to move from his habitat and laboratory at the Commune Arsenal. On Aug. 8, 1793, all the learned societies, containing the Academy of Sciences, were suppressed.

It is difficult to indication Lavoisier's own attitude to high-mindedness political turmoil. Like so innumerable intellectual liberals, he felt delay the Old Regime could tweak reformed from the inside allowing only reason and moderation prevailed. Characteristically, one of his surname major works was a motion to the National Convention fail to distinguish the reform of French rearing. He tried to remain formal from the political cockpit, cack-handed doubt fearful and uncomprehending show signs of the violence he saw therein. However, on Nov. 24, 1793, the arrest of all influence former tax gatherers was not to be faulted. They were formally brought equal trial on May 8, 1794, and convicted with summary fairmindedness of having plundered the kin and the treasury of Author, of having adulterated the nation's tobacco with water, and considerate having supplied the enemies holiday France with huge sums divest yourself of money from the national vault assets. Lavoisier, along with 27 hint at his former colleagues, was guillotined on the same day.