History of the Periodic Table of the Elements

History of the Periodic Table of the Elements (CHEM 1360) Part 2

REDISCOVERY OF THE ELEMENTS — following ancient footsteps

European element discovery sites

The Highlands in Scotland

The Road to Strontian

Up from Strontian to the Mine Entrance to the Mine

Searching for a vein Climbing down into the Mine

Discovery! Alkaline earth carbonates and silicates

Mediterranean element discovery sites

Monte Palermo, “three French leagues from Bologna”

Discovery! Nuggets of fosforo di Bologna!

Fosforo di Bologna — Barite, Ba. SO 4

Argillaceous matrix — i. e. , clay and mud

Early Mankind discovers a new substance with ductile, rather than brittle, failure

Gold, most highly desired of the metals because of its eternal nature Nubians deliver gold to their King (Temple in Thebes)

Ro� a Montan� , Romania — ancient Roman gold mine

Rosa Montana — wax tablet to entrance

Rosa Montana — enough room for one slave laborer

Silver Joachimthalers — etymological source of “dollar”

Thaler, 1561, minted in Sankt Joachim, Bohemia

Sankt Joachim, Bohemia — now Jáchymov, Czech Republic

Copper vase from Cyprus (Cyprus = cuprum) The Canaanites (Hittites) with “iron chariots” in the Book of Judges

The origin of the concept of “element” or “principle” Plato and Aristotle espouse a logical universe

Macquer’s “Dictionnaire de Chymie, ” 1777

The current concept of “Chemical Element, ” as of 1777

The Discovery of Phosphorus

There was a Beginning. . There are Natural Causes. . God works through Natural Law The Birth of Science Religious philosophy By reason you can arrive at the truth, even when it is not intuitively obvious. . Aqua fortis Spiritus salus Blue vitrol Liver of sulphur Manna mercuri Flowers of zinc etc. , etc. . Alchemical discoveries Greek logic

The Birth of Science By experimentation and careful reasoning we can arrive at these laws and ultimate understanding. . Religious philosophy Alchemical discoveries Greek logic

Falun Mine, Sweden — major copper mine that served the early miners

Averting the Gnomes in the dark caves. . The German word for gnome is “Kobold” Cobaltite, Co. As. S

The German word “Kupfernickel” means copper devil Nicollite, Ni. As Annabergite, Ni 3(As. O 4)2 • 8 H 2 O

German element discovery sites

Klatschmondblumen, Harz Mountains, Germany

Tilkerode, East Harz Mountains

Tilkerode, East Harz Mountains — selenium-rich ore, source of thallium

Minimum, Pb 3 O 4 Cerrusite, Pb. CO 3, “white wax” Lead ores

Mercury ore “sweating” quicksilver

East European element discovery sites

Touring across Romania. .

Gypsies panning and collecting gold in fleece (Daniel Edward Clarke, Nagyag, Romania, 1802)

Gypsies today. .

Hiking up the Transylvanians. .

Fa a B� ii, Romania — “forgotten” gold mine in the Transylvania Mountains

The mines have huge talus banks, rich in pyrites.

Fata Baii Mine, where tellurium was discovered — known originally by Hungarian name, “Fascebanya”

Romanian miners (and one Australian) at Fa a B� ii Mine

Britain element discovery sites

Hidden by a stream in Menaccan, Cornwall. .

Manaccan church, Cornwall, where Gregor preached

The Lord’s Prayer, in Cornish

Plaque in Manaccan Church

Panning for ilmenite, Fe. Ti. O 3, the black sand that “follows the compass”

Scandinavian element discovery sites

Hisinger’s house, owner of Bastnäs Mine and mentor of Jöns Jacob Berzelius

Bengt Hogrelius with old Swedish chemistry text

The modest author does not include his name on the title page (Cronstedt, who discovered nickel)

It is clear that a substance is being given off. . I call it “phlogiston” sssssssssssssssssss

Phlogiston is a universal principle given off by: calxing combustion respiration

The atmosphere doesn’t become saturated with phlogiston because plants remove it

The world is thus a beautiful balance incorporating the recycling of phlogiston Plants remove phlogiston Calxing Respiration Combustion

Prediction: Since a metal becomes heavier when it loses phlogiston to become a calx. . Phlogiston must have anti-gravity! Iron Phlogiston Iron calx (rust)

Clapham mansion, where Cavendish performed his classic experiments

Lavoisier’s Elements, 1789

Lavoisier’s Elements “Elements in the body” “Nonmetallic elements” “Metallic elements” “Earths”