Berzelius, Gay-Lussac, and Davy - Advances in Chemistry from 1805-1832 - Lecture 21

Explore the foundations of organic chemistry in this 49-minute Yale University lecture focusing on the period from 1805 to 1832. Delve into the contributions of prominent chemists like Berzelius, Gay-Lussac, and Davy, examining their discoveries of new elements and improvements in atomic weights and combustion analysis. Investigate the impact of electrolysis on element discovery and the development of dualism theory. Analyze Wöhler's groundbreaking synthesis of urea and its implications for isomerism. Examine the collaborative work of Wöhler and Liebig on oil of bitter almonds, which extended dualism to organic chemistry through radical theory. Learn about the confusion surrounding silicon chloride, the beginnings of combustion analysis, and the persistent naiveté in handling quantitative data during this pivotal era in chemistry.