Joseph Priestley 1774
Experiment:
In 1771, Joseph Priestley noticed that a mouse in a sealed jar would eventually collapse (due to lack of oxygen). He then placed a small plant in the jar and noticed the the mouse regained consciousness. Realizing that the plant somehow freshens up the air, he wrote a letter to Benjamin Franklin. It wasn’t until a few years later that he discovered that the plant gave the mouse oxygen.
In 1774, Joseph Priestley was burning mercuric oxide powder, and discovered that the gases that was released from the power was breathable. Priestley declared “My breast felt peculiarly light and easy for some time afterward.” |
Gases Discovered:
Throughout his career, Joseph Priestley discovered ten new gases:
1) nitric oxide
2) nitrogen dioxide
3) nitrous oxide
4) hydrogen chloride
5) ammonia
6) sulfur dioxide
7) silicon tetrafluoride
8) nitrogen
9) oxygen
10) carbon monoxide
1) nitric oxide
2) nitrogen dioxide
3) nitrous oxide
4) hydrogen chloride
5) ammonia
6) sulfur dioxide
7) silicon tetrafluoride
8) nitrogen
9) oxygen
10) carbon monoxide