Oxygen and the Chemical Revolution - From Alchemy to Lavoisier (1789)

Explore the origins of modern chemistry in this 47-minute lecture from Yale University's Freshman Organic Chemistry course. Trace the development of organic chemistry from ancient alchemy to Lavoisier's Chemical Revolution. Learn about key figures like Scheele, who discovered oxygen and prepared pure organic acids. Examine Lavoisier's groundbreaking Traité Élémentaire de Chimie, which introduced concepts of mass conservation and oxidation. Discover how Lavoisier's focus on facts, ideas, and precise language laid the foundation for modern chemical thinking. Delve into topics such as weighing gases, measuring heat with calorimeters, and the evolution of chemical nomenclature. Gain insights into the logical progression of chemical theory, techniques, and terminology to enhance your understanding and application of organic chemistry principles.