Carl Wilhelm Scheele - A statue in Koping for his contribution
Carl Wilhelm Scheele was a German-Swedish pharmaceutical chemist from the Stralsund, Germany. Scheele was the seventh child of his family. He showed a great interest and talent in the area of science since he was little. He became a pharmacist since he was fourteen years old, and put his whole life into his career. He contributed so much to our advanced science, because he was the discoverer of oxygen molybdenum and chlorine. Perhaps, you will say Joseph Priestley was the discoverer of oxygen. That is because Joseph Priestley published his book before Carl did. Scheele also discovered many other chemicals and phenomena. His great efforts are not results of luck but his derious, unremitting and passional attitude on work----he worked mostly at night event the cold and tiredness affected his health. Scheele's only book, Air and Fire, was published in 1777. It included most of his work before 1773. Carl Wilhelm Scheele passed out at May 21, 1786, just 48 hours after his marriage. The Image showes on the right side, it is a statue of Carl Wilhelm Scheele for the great contribution he did on chlorine gas and oxygen gas. The Background: Scheele's family was not that rich, since his father was a carpenter. His career as pharmaceutical chemist started when he was only 14 years old. Before Scheele started his own pharmacy, he spend about 8 years in an apothecary and 6 years worked as phmarmacist. That means he had 14 years experiences on pharmaceutical chemistry. Csheele was born in Stralsund, and he had moved to Molmo, Stockholm, Uppsla, and settled in Koqing. In addition, his wife was the owner of his widow before he purchased. Carl Wilhelm Scheele's Life: (Timeline)
Year
Main Event
1742 (Dcember,19)
Scheele was born as the seventh child of a family in Stralsund.
1757 (-1765)
Scheele started to work as a pharmacist in Goteboring, instead of being a carpenter like his father.
1765
Scheele transferred to Molmό.
1768
Scheele moved to Stockholm, there, he wrote an account of his experiments and sent them to T.O. Bergman, and was neglected.
1769
He discovered a process similar to pasteurization, along with a means of mass-producing phosphorus.
1770
He left Stockholm and took up his residence at Uppsala.
1771
He discovered oxygen produced as a by-product in a number of experiments.
1772
He described the discovery of oxygen and nitrogen in his only book.
1774
The analysis of manganese dioxide led him to the discovery of chlorine and baryta.
1774
Also, he is argued to have been the first to discover barium and manganese.
1775
Scheele moved to Kôping and became a member of the Swedish academy of science in Stockholm.
1775
He investigated arsenic acid and its reactions, discovering arseniuretted hydrogen and “Scheele’s green”.
1776
Scheele was able to establish his own pharmacy.
1777
Chemische Abhandlung von der Lufr und Feuer (Chemical Treatise on Air and Fire).
1778
He got molybdic acid from mineral molybdenum nitens which he carefully distinguishes from ordinary molybdena.
1780
Scheele proved that the acidity of sour milk is due to what was afterwards called lactic acid.
1781
He first discovered tungsten, since called Scheelite.
1782
He published some experiments on the formation of ether.
1783
Scheele examined the properties of glycerine.
1783
He found that the coloring matter of Prussian blue could not be produced without a substance of the nature of an acid.
1786 (May, 21)
Scheele died from an accident.
Scheele in Science
The Discovery of Oxygen:
Here are some great elements discovered by Scheele (People still have arguments). However, Scheele mainly was focus on create and respond to chemical reaction. That is how he discovered chlorine gas and oxygen gas. Anyway, he did not named and define the gases, but he did realize there were special gases been formed. Eventually, he published a book with his notes on nitrogen, oxygen, chlorine, and other elements. The book name was "Chemische Abhandlung von der Luft und dem Feuer", translated into English "Chemical Treatise on Air and Fire". Basically, it was all related to heat transfer, and chemical reactions which forms compounds. Scheele first discovered Fire Air sometime before 1773---after he moved to Uppsala. Fire Air is what we call oxygen today. It took Scheele several times to discover oxygen. First time, he cteated nitrid acid with potash which formed KNO3. After that, distilling the residue with surfuric acid produced both NO2 and O2. The former was absorbed Ca(OH)2, leaving oxygen. Another way for Scheele to discover oxygen was by heating HgO and MnO2 strongly and by heating silver carbonate or murcuric carbanate, and then absobing the CO2 by alkali. The formular for this reaction is: AgCO3(s) Ag(s) + CO2(g) + O2(g) Because Barium quickly becomes oxidized is air, it is difficult to obtain in its pure form. Scheele first found it from the mineral barite which is crytallized barium sulfate.
Oxygen (Liquid Form) --------------------- Barium (Solid Form) --------------------------- Manganese (Solid Form) Fun & Cool Video After Scheele's Discoveries: (Danger)
One of the most important contributions of Scheele to science was the discovery of chlorine (Cl). Although he was the first to observe the gas, Scheele didn’t seem to quite understand the properties of the substance himself and made false conclusions about the reactions taking in place (well we cannot blame him since there were many factors for it such as the past belief in “the four elements theory”).His discovery happened during his study of pyrolusite (manganese dioxide). He planned heating a solution of pyrolusite in acid of salt called muriatic acid (later renamed hydrochloric acid). Suddenly, the colors of the new substance partly turned into a greenish-yellow gas. He gathered the product in a bladder and observed that it was bleaching. He believed it to be a compound of oxygen, and that the highly reactive action taking place there was a result of pyrolusite removing phlogiston (phlogiston as a substance was an attempt to justify combustible reactions in the past) from the acid of salt (“muriatic acid”). Therefore, he called it a dephlogisticated acid of salt.
Here is the chemical equation of the whole process that happened during his experiment: ------------MnO2 + 4 HCl =====> Cl2 + MnCl2 + 2 H2O + 2 H2O ----------MnO2 = Manganese Dioxide------Cl2 = Chlorine gas ----------HCl = Hydrochloric Acid----------MnCl2 = Manganese chloride ------------------------------------------------H2O = Water
*Note - Chlorine usually has a greenish colour and tends to be poisonous and is an extremely reactive gas; especially in its pure form. it should be handled cautiously during a lab, the experimenter must have a proper protection and avoid from inhaling the substance.
The Video Of Chlorine Bomb:
The Discovery of Other Acids:
Scheele has also discovered many important acids. He combined many acids such as tartaric, lactic acids, as well as the three gases hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen sulfide, and hydrogen.Some of the organic acids he gained by isolating them from vegetables, fruits, and other organic sources. Some examples are: citric acid (from lemons), oxalic acid (from sorrel and rhubarb), malic acid (from apples and other fruits), gallic acid (from nut galls), lactic acid (from milk), and uric acid (from urine). These were actually part of the first organic acids to be discovered in a chemically pure - form.
Interesting Life Of Scheele Foolish Death:
Pencil Drawing Of Scheele
Basically, Scheele killed himself because of his uneducated habit. He likes to have a taste of the chemicals he mixed, that means he either tasted non-poisonous substances or poisonous substances. From his death symptoms, we can declared that he is killed by any substance which contains mercury. However, scheele warned us by his death to not taste the chemicals, since we can not 100% sure about the properties about chemicals. Therefore, some people said his death contributed something to the science, but some people said his death was foolish since he was a chemist. Rich & Poor: If you have the chance to become famous, will you take it? If you have the chance to become a rich human being, will you accpet it? Here was Scheele, he had three chances to become famous and rich, but he did not accpet it. Why? It is because he wanted to serve and payback to his faithful customers. That is the reason he rejected the European academies, the government of English, and the generous salary.
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History About Scheele
The Basic Information:
Carl Wilhelm Scheele was a German-Swedish pharmaceutical chemist from the Stralsund, Germany. Scheele was the seventh child of his family. He showed a great interest and talent in the area of science since he was little. He became a pharmacist since he was fourteen years old, and put his whole life into his career. He contributed so much to our advanced science, because he was the discoverer of oxygen molybdenum and chlorine. Perhaps, you will say Joseph Priestley was the discoverer of oxygen. That is because Joseph Priestley published his book before Carl did. Scheele also discovered many other chemicals and phenomena. His great efforts are not results of luck but his derious, unremitting and passional attitude on work----he worked mostly at night event the cold and tiredness affected his health. Scheele's only book, Air and Fire, was published in 1777. It included most of his work before 1773. Carl Wilhelm Scheele passed out at May 21, 1786, just 48 hours after his marriage. The Image showes on the right side, it is a statue of Carl Wilhelm Scheele for the great contribution he did on chlorine gas and oxygen gas.
The Background:
Scheele's family was not that rich, since his father was a carpenter. His career as pharmaceutical chemist started when he was only 14 years old. Before Scheele started his own pharmacy, he spend about 8 years in an apothecary and 6 years worked as phmarmacist. That means he had 14 years experiences on pharmaceutical chemistry. Csheele was born in Stralsund, and he had moved to Molmo, Stockholm, Uppsla, and settled in Koqing. In addition, his wife was the owner of his widow before he purchased.
Carl Wilhelm Scheele's Life: (Timeline)
(Dcember,19)
(-1765)
(May, 21)
Scheele in Science
The Discovery of Oxygen:
Here are some great elements discovered by Scheele (People still have arguments). However, Scheele mainly was focus on create and respond to chemical reaction. That is how he discovered chlorine gas and oxygen gas. Anyway, he did not named and define the gases, but he did realize there were special gases been formed. Eventually, he published a book with his notes on nitrogen, oxygen, chlorine, and other elements. The book name was "Chemische Abhandlung von der Luft und dem Feuer", translated into English "Chemical Treatise on Air and Fire". Basically, it was all related to heat transfer, and chemical reactions which forms compounds. Scheele first discovered Fire Air sometime before 1773---after he moved to Uppsala. Fire Air is what we call oxygen today. It took Scheele several times to discover oxygen. First time, he cteated nitrid acid with potash which formed KNO3. After that, distilling the residue with surfuric acid produced both NO2 and O2. The former was absorbed Ca(OH)2, leaving oxygen. Another way for Scheele to discover oxygen was by heating HgO and MnO2 strongly and by heating silver carbonate or murcuric carbanate, and then absobing the CO2 by alkali. The formular for this reaction is:AgCO3(s)
Because Barium quickly becomes oxidized is air, it is difficult to obtain in its pure form. Scheele first found it from the mineral barite which is crytallized barium sulfate.
Oxygen (Liquid Form) ---------------------
Fun & Cool Video After Scheele's Discoveries: (Danger)
Left-Barium Experiment & Right-Liquid Oxygen Experiment
The Discovery of Chlorine:
Here is the chemical equation of the whole process that happened during his experiment:
------------MnO2 + 4 HCl =====> Cl2 + MnCl2 + 2 H2O + 2 H2O
----------MnO2 = Manganese Dioxide ------Cl2 = Chlorine gas
----------HCl = Hydrochloric Acid ----------MnCl2 = Manganese chloride
------------------------------------------------H2O = Water
*Note - Chlorine usually has a greenish colour and tends to be poisonous and is an extremely reactive gas; especially in its pure form. it should be handled cautiously during a lab, the experimenter must have a proper protection and avoid from inhaling the substance.
The Video Of Chlorine Bomb:
The Discovery of Other Acids:
Scheele has also discovered many important acids. He combined many acids such as tartaric, lactic acids, as well as the three gases hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen sulfide, and hydrogen. Some of the organic acids he gained by isolating them from vegetables, fruits, and other organic sources. Some examples are: citric acid (from lemons), oxalic acid (from sorrel and rhubarb), malic acid (from apples and other fruits), gallic acid (from nut galls), lactic acid (from milk), and uric acid (from urine). These were actually part of the first organic acids to be discovered in a chemically pure - form.Interesting Life Of Scheele
Foolish Death:
Rich & Poor:
If you have the chance to become famous, will you take it? If you have the chance to become a rich human being, will you accpet it? Here was Scheele, he had three chances to become famous and rich, but he did not accpet it. Why? It is because he wanted to serve and payback to his faithful customers. That is the reason he rejected the European academies, the government of English, and the generous salary.
Take the survey, it is fun! The result will be post once a week on Sunday!
More Informations Please Visit
Wikipedia <The Encyclopedia> September 23, 2008. Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Wilhelm_Scheele
Answer.com <Answer Tip TM Enabled> September 23, 2008. Link: http://www.answers.com/topic/carl-wilhelm-scheele
You Tube <Broadcast Yourself> September 25, 2008. Link: http://ca.youtube.com/
Google Image <The Most Comprehensive Image Search> September 25, 2008. Link: http://images.google.ca/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi
Art Directory <Carl Wilhelm Scheele> September 27, 2008. Link: //http://www.carl-wilhelm-scheele.com///
Encyclopedia <HighBeam Encyclopedia> September 30, 2008. Link: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3404705769.html
Edited by: Jackie Chen, Yoyo Wu, Daniel Mavasher, and Kenji Pinzon