the Oxford Scientist debate
was Antoine Lavoisier the ‘first’ chemist?
B
yes
y burning together hydrogen and oxygen, Antoine Lavoisier blasted chemistry into the future. An 18th century French scientist and nobleman, he found that water was produced in this explosive reaction. This proved water could be created, and thus could not be an element. The 2000-year-old theory of the elements—that all substances were made of earth, air, fire, or water—was blown apart. In this series of experiments, Lavoisier uncovered the process of combustion. Contemporary theory claimed a fire element called “phlogiston” was released when a substance burned. However, Lavoisier noticed that as phosphorus burned, it increased in weight. If the phosphorus was losing phlogiston, it should have been losing weight. He realised that phlogiston does not exist; instead air combines with the phosphorus, generating light and heat as fire. Based on these observations, Lavoisier identified oxygen as a new gas. Lavoisier published the first chemical naming system in 1787. The old language of chemistry was confusing, full of astrology and alchemical mysticism. Lavoisier replaced irrational names like “vitriol of Venus” with names that echo their chemical composition, such as “copper sulphate”. Mercury “calx”, which is formed when mercury reacts with oxygen, was renamed mercuric oxide. This system could expand with new discoveries, and led to the nomenclature of modern chemistry. Through experimenting with reactions in airtight vessels, Lavoisier found that total weight remained the same, no matter which reaction happened. He theorised that mass would be conserved for any chemical reaction, calling this the ‘Law of Conservation of Mass’. This separates chemistry from alchemy. In chemistry components are rearranged, but their quantity and character remains the same, whereas in alchemy it was believed gold could be magically conjured. This law helped Lavoisier to undertake some of the earliest truly quantitative chemical experiments, discoveries which would help turn chemistry into a rigorous science, marking him out as the first chemist. Tragically, Lavoisier’s contributions were not enough to save his life. He could well have become widely recognised today as the first chemist, but he was executed in 1794 following the French Revolution. Rejecting an appeal for his life, in order to continue scientific experimentation, the judge said, ‘The Republic needs neither scientists nor chemists; the course of justice cannot be delayed.’ Louis Minion is a Chemistry student at Balliol
W
no
hile Lavoisier undoubtedly changed the face of chemistry, the history of chemistry stretches far beyond him, all the way back to 1200 BC and the Babylonian perfume-maker Tapputi. The first chemist that we have any record of, Tapputi’s skills were inscribed on a clay tablet. The tablet describes how she perfected numerous experimental techniques that chemists still use to this day, such as distillation, cold enfleurage (capturing scents using animal fats), and filtration. Most notably, Tapputi pioneered the use of solvents, using distilled water and grain alcohol to carry fragrances, whereas her contemporaries smeared oils straight onto the skin. This revolutionary idea meant her perfumes diffused further and lasted longer than any others from the era. Some of her ground-breaking methods were not rediscovered for thousands of years. Some may question whether this was really chemistry or just “fancy cooking”. Admittedly, it is unlikely Tapputi had a full understanding of her techniques, although her refined methods stand out beyond “cooking”. Indeed, many major advancements in chemistry were serendipitous—Teflon, Play-Doh, and penicillin were all discovered accidentally, and we would not hesitate to call their discoverers chemists. However, even accepting that a chemist must have some understanding of the scientific method and develop theoretical explanations for natural phenomena, we don’t need to fast-forward quite as far as Lavoisier. 82 years before Lavoisier’s birth, Robert Boyle published The Sceptical Chymist, staking a strong claim for being the first modern chemist. Boyle argued for the existence of atoms (which he called corpuscles) and set the foundation for kinetic theory, envisioning reactions as results of collisions of moving particles. Although the book was largely philosophy, it set an important theoretical basis for Boyle’s other achievements: discovering the inverse relationship between the volume and pressure of a gas (Boyle’s law), introducing the litmus test, and pioneering the scientific method. Importantly, Boyle also pushed for the recognition of chemistry as a discipline separate from alchemy, which certainly helped its credibility in the long-term. So, if inventing and using experimental techniques is enough to be a chemist, then Tapputi takes the crown. However, if some theoretical understanding of chemistry is necessary for someone to have truly been a chemist, then Boyle clocks in just ahead of Lavoisier as the world’s first chemist.
Asher Winter is a Chemistry student at St Hugh’s
8