Antoine Lavoisier
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Antoine Lavoisier (26 August 1743 – 8 May 1794) was a French nobleman, chemist and biologist. He is often called the "father of modern chemistry".[1]
He was the first scientist to recognise and name the elements hydrogen and oxygen and was an important figure in the start of atomic theory.He was executed, along with hundreds of other nobles, during the French Revolution.
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His life [change]
Antoine de Lavoisier studied to the Mazarin College. This college was one of the best secondary school at this time. He studied to do a career in law like his father and his grandfather. He got his law degree in 1763 and he practiced law at the parliament. But, in fact, he prefered scientific research as law. If he has chosen his career, he would have done a career in science.
His grandmother died in 1768. Antoine inherited of a lot of money so he decided to “buy” a government position as a tax collector. This new position at the government didn’t require all his time so he started a career in science.[2].
Science career [change]
During his career, Lavoisier wanted to make chemistry a separate science like physics or astronomy.
Antoine de Lavoisier brought big changes to the chemistry. His research was almost entirely done on the combustion. He is the person who explained the combustion by oxidation. To proof this combustion, Lavoisier analyzed the air. In order to do this, in 1776, he burned mercury in an enclosed vase. His conclusion: the air is a combination of oxygen and not an element.
He has also discovered the law of conservation of mass that is nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed. It says that the mass of the final products of a chemical reaction is the same as the reagents’ ones. Today, this principle is the heart of the modern chemistry. [3]
Politic life [change]
While he was doing chemistry’s research, he was also working at the government. During this time, the French Revolution began. More exactly it began in 1789. Antoine kept his position in the government. But, two years later, a new government arrived in power and the new leaders suspected Antoine. This new government was suspicious because Lavoisier got great success as a scientific and as a public administrator. The leaders ordered the imprisonment of the tax collectors so Lavoisier was arrested. He was arrested for conspiracy against the population. Even if there is no proof that demonstrates that Antoine de Lavoisier broken the law, he was sentenced to death on May 8th 1794. [4]
References [change]
- ↑ "Encylopedia Brittanica:Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier". http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/332700/Antoine-Laurent-Lavoisier.
- ↑ GUILDERSON, Hugh L. Biographical encyclopedia of scientists, 5 Vol., United States, Marshall Cavendish, 1998, page 796 to 798
- ↑ MOULAYE AHMED, Salah Ould. De Thalès à Einstein, l’histoire de la science à travers ses grands hommes, France, Studyrama, 2007, page 75.
- ↑ Dictionnaire des inventeurs et inventions, Paris, éditions in Extenso, 1996, page 506
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