Antoine Lavoisier
1743—1794
French nobleman
prominent
in history of
chemistry, biology
finance and economics
First to state Law of
Conservation of Matter
Recognized and named
oxygen
Often called father of
modern chemistry
Studied botany,
astronomy
and mathematics
In 1778 elected to
French Academy of
Sciences
Improved gunpowder
production
and designed new
method
for producing
saltpeter
Examined nature of
combustion
demonstrated that
burning involves
combining a substance
with oxygen
Also studied role of
oxygen
in rusting and
respiration
One of first to use
truly
quantitative chemical
experiments
carefully measuring
ingredients
Discovered that water
was
combination of oxygen
and hydrogen
and air was
combination of gases
Devised chemical
nomenclature
common language for
chemists
Helped develop the
metric system
for the French
government
Because he was a tax
collector
tried as traitor
during Reign of Terror
and beheaded
by guillotine
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MEMORY TRIGGERS
French__________________________________
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Conservation of
Matter____________________
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oxygen_________________________________
_______________________________________
father of modern
chemistry_________________
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combustion______________________________
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respiration_______________________________
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quantitative______________________________
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water___________________________________
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air_____________________________________
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nomenclature____________________________
_______________________________________
metric
system____________________________
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guillotine_______________________________
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