Gas Scientist

Scientist

Have you ever wondered what a pizza would be like without a soda, or how painful a root canal, if it weren't for laughing gas? Have you ever wondered who gave different types of gases names and how? Your probably saying "who cares?", and that is what everyone in the 1700's would say too...almost. There are three men from this time that are most remembered for their contributions to the knowledge of gases. Back in the 1700's, when there was no soda pop, or laughing gas, and People didn't even know what kind of air they were breathing there were three men. One was Antoine Lavosier. There was also Henry Cavendish, and a man named Joseph Priestly. We owe our sodas, painless dental procedures, really fast cars and our knowledge of what we breath every day to survive to a man named Joseph Priestly. Serendipity means to discover something without intending to, and supposedly Joseph Priestly was the "King of Serendipity".

Joseph was born into a Calvinistic family near Leads, England on March 13, 1733. Here he studied to become a minister but disagreed with the mainstream Christian beliefs in England at that time. Joseph never foresaw that he would become an extremely influential and famous chemist/scientist in the field of gasses. Josephs' life first took this

Swink 2

direction when he was on a trip to London where he met Benjamin Franklin. Benjamin Franklin aroused an interest of science in Priestlys' mind. Later on, Priestly began to conduct experiments in the field of electricity. His only discovery in this field was that graphite can conduct electricity. In the field of gasses he discovered: the properties of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and oxygen. He invented carbonated water, he conjoined chemistry and biology by identifying gases that interact with plant respiration, and was the first to observe photosynthesis. He also was the first to name what we call oxygen. He called it dephlogisticated air. It was when Joseph priestly shared his discovery with

French scientist Antoine Lavosier that the gas was given the name Oxygen.

He died in America on February 6, 1804.

Joseph Priestly, is a very interesting person. He never had an education in science. Some would say this is why he was so successful. But what stands out nearly as much as the scientific side of this man was his religious side. He was a Christian and had very strong liberal beliefs. This caused him to move to America where he died. Few scientist make so many discoveries in one area of science as Joseph Priestly.

Antoine Lavosier was born in France in 1743. He was the son of a wealthy Parisian lawyer and is known as the father of modern chemistry ( he was also a lawyer). Supposedly, he was known for taking the results of other scientist,

...