Early Greek

Philosophers
Thales of Miletus
Thought that water was the fundamental substance. It was also thought
air, other are fires.
But they could not use any of these substances to explain different
properties of matter.

Empedocles
Proposed the 4 elements substances---- earth, air, fire and water--- that
can mingle, separate and reunite the different proportion to form matter.
Leucippus
1st introduced the atomic theory together with Democritus (his pupil).
The ff. assumptions in the theory
• Matter consists of very small indivisible particles called atoms, derived
from the Greek word atomos, meaning “uncuttable”.
• Atoms differ in size and shape
• It exists in an empty space.
• Atoms are in constant motion.
• Observable properties such as color, and taste, can be explained by the
different shapes and/or arrangements and orientations of the atoms.
Aristotle
 The idea of matter atomicity of matter was criticized.
 Argued based on his assumptions that no void or vacuum can exists;
therefore, the idea of atoms in continuous motion was not accepted.
 Adopted the idea of Empedocles, 4 substances- hot, moists, cold and
dry.
 Believed that one substance can be converted or removal of the
appropriate qualities.
Why weren’t Democritus’s ideas accepted?

• Aristotle was a very famous Greek

philosopher who believed that matter
could be divided into smaller and
smaller pieces forever.
• He held a very strong influence on
popular belief and his views on this
were accepted for two thousand years.
Alchemy
• Is medieval practice which aims to
transform metal into gold.
• After that chemistry was ruled by
alchemy.
• They believed that that could take any
cheap metals and turn them into gold.
• Alchemists were almost like magicians.
– elixirs, physical immortality
 Alchemical symbols for substances…

...
.......
.....
GOLD SILVER COPPER IRON SAND

transmutation: changing one substance into another

In ordinary chemistry, we cannot transmute elements.

 Contributions of alchemists:

Information about elements

- the elements mercury, sulfur, and antimony were
discovered
- properties of some elements
Develop lab apparatus / procedures / experimental
techniques
- alchemists learned how to prepare acids.
- developed several alloys
- new glassware
 Daniel Sennert (1572-1637), experimented on how
precious metals could be dissolved in acid and then
precipitated using alkali.
 Robert Boyle (1627-1691) and Rene Descartes (1596-
1650)
paved way the way for the philosophy.
 Andreas Libavius (1555-1616), each Democritean atom is
perfect Aristotelian mix in that the elements are like shells
that hide the secret principles” or seed (atoms)
DALTON’S ATOMIC THEORY
 John Dalton
- States that all matter is composed of small units called
atoms.
- Revived the atomic theory after Democritus proposed it.
- Formulated the theory after Antoine Lavosier’s law of
conservation mass and Joseph Proust’s law of definite
proportions.
LAW OF CONSERVATION OF MASS
- The total mass of substances before and after a complete reaction are
equal.
LAW OF DEFINITE PROPORTIONS
- Elements combined in a fixed proportion to form a compound.
Dalton’s Atomic Theory
1All matter is made of tiny indivisible particles called atoms.
2Atoms of the same element are identical, those of different
atoms are different.
3Atoms of different elements combine in whole number
ratios to form compounds.
4Chemical reactions involve the rearrangement of atoms. No
new atoms are created or destroyed.
 Timeline
Greeks
(Democritus ~450 BC)
Discontinuous Issac Newton
theory of matter (1642 - 1727)
ALCHEMY

400 BC 300 AD 1000 2000

Greeks
(Aristotle ~350 BC))
Continuous
theory of matter

American
Independence
(1776)