the history of chemistry alchemy to chemistry the beginnings weapons medicine soap making
TRANSCRIPT
Paracelsus (born 1493)
Man consisted of three elementsSALT (the body)SULFUR (the soul)MERCURY (the spirit)
He thought he could rearrange the amounts of the elements to change man.
He desired immortality and searched for a mystical elixir of life.
Alchemy
Allegedly, this substance would turn cheap metals into gold.
In Europe, alchemy was the quest for the Philosopher’s Stone (the elixir, the Sorcerer’s Stone).
transmutation
In ordinary chemical reactions, we cannot
transmute elements into different elements.
changing one substance into another
Philosopher’s Stone
Alchemy
• Alchemy and Chemistry were initially synonymous
• Alchemists were somewhat like magicians.– Purported elixirs, physical
immortality
Alchemy symbols forsubstances
. . . . . . . . . . . .. . .
GOLD SILVER COPPER IRON SAND
transmutation: changing one substance into another
Contributions(continued)
• The elements mercury, sulfur, and antimony were discovered by alchemists
• Element properties
• Preparation of acids
Alchemy was practiced in many regions of the
world, including China and the Middle East.
Arrived in western Europe
around 500 C.E.
Modern chemistry evolved from alchemy.
• By 1943, the supply of copper metal was in short supply
• Pennies were made with steel during WWII
Pennies
• Before 1982, all pennies were copper (except 1943).
• After 1982, pennies were made from copper plated zinc.
• A shortage of copper drove the price of copper up in the early 1980s.