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1774 BCE
Disproving of the Phlogiston Theory
Joseph Priestley heated calx of mercury, collected the colorless gas and burned different substances in this colorless gas. Priestley called the gas "dephlogisticated air", but it was actually oxygen. It was Antoine Lavoisier who disproved the Phlogiston Theory. He renamed the "dephlogisticated air" oxygen when he realized that the oxygen was the part of air that combines with substances as they burn. Because of Lavoisier's work, Lavoisier is now called the "Father of Modern Chemistry". -
1700 BCE
Phlogiston Theory Coulomb's Law
Johann J. Beecher believed in a substance called phlogiston. When a substance is burned, phlogiston was supposedly added from the air to the flame of the burning object. In some substances, a product is produced. For example, calx of mercury plus phlogiston gives the product of mercury. -
1530 BCE
Death of Alchemy
The disproving of Aristotle's four-elements theory and the publishing of the book, The Skeptical Chemist (by Robert Boyle), combined to destroy this early form of chemistry. -
1520 BCE
Elixir of Life
Alchemists not only wanted to convert metals to gold, but they also wanted to find a chemical concoction that would enable people to live longer and cure all ailments. This elixir of life never happened either. -
1200 BCE
The Advent of the Alchemists
Influenced greatly by Aristotle's ideas, alchemists attempted to transmute cheap metals to gold. The substance used for this conversion was called the Philosopher's Stone. -
1200 BCE
Failure of the Gold Business
Although Pope John XXII issued an edict against gold-making, the gold business continued. Despite the alchemists' efforts, transmutation of cheap metals to gold never happened within this time period. -
430 BCE
Aristotle of ancient Greece
Aristotle declares the existence of only four elements: fire, air, water and earth. All matter is made up of these four elements and matter had four properties: hot, cold, dry and wet. -
300 BCE
Democritus of ancient Greece
Democritus proclaims the atom to be the simplest unit of matter. All matter was composed of atoms. -
100 BCE
King Hammurabi's reign over Babylon
Known metals were recorded and listed in conjunction with heavenly bodies. -
Dalton's Atomic Theory
John Dalton publishes his Atomic Theory which states that all matter is composed of atoms, which are small and indivisible
