Relates the background and chain of events associated with the discovery of oxygen and Lavoisier's theory of combustion. (DS)

An awareness of the history of science is important for tomorrow's science teachers. It provides a human dimension to a field such as chemistry that is often regarded by students as remote and impersonal. Elizabeth Fulhame was an accomplished research chemist of the late eighteenth century who was well known to the prominent chemists of her era…

In this paper, we analyse the aims, contents and impact of Seabra's two-volume textbook--"Elementos de Chimica" ("Elements of Chemistry")--published in 1788 and 1790. Seabra's "Elements of Chemistry" does not conform to the characteristics usually ascribed to textbooks by traditional historiography, and in particular…

Discusses issues related to teaching about orbitals in beginning chemistry courses. Lavoisier's rule, Lewis's orbitals, Pauli's principle, the physics related to chemical concepts are examined. The American Chemical Society's Committee on Professional Training's position on these issues is briefly addressed. (JN)

Scientists often use more than the results of experiment to arrive at a result; they use anticipation and analogy to arrive at the results that fit their theories, and sometimes they correct results in the light of analogy. They also need to be clear about the difference between accuracy and precision. They do all this using not only theories, but…

Explores three classic turning points in science and presents close-up views of the scientists involved and their discoveries. Discussions include William Herschel and light; Lavoisier, Priestley, Scheele and oxygen; and Faraday and electromagnetism. Presents suggestions for experiments to demonstrate these discoveries. (JRH)

The recipient of Scientific Apparatus Makers Association Award in Chemical Education advocates designing instruction after contemplation of Lavoisier, who was able to transfer information across subject areas; Socrates, who taught by encouraging student's questions; Democritus, whose contribution to science was a matter of luck. (AL)

New interpretations of the "chemical revolution" associated with the name of Lavoisier are considered, as is the growth of chemistry as a profession in France, Germany, and Britain. Both biographical and institutional approaches are used to help relate the history of chemistry to other areas. (KR)

Concludes that Carl Scheele first observed oxygen and clearly understood what he was observing in June 1771, when he heated manganese dioxide with concentrated sulfuric acid. This was more than three years before Lavoisier or Priestley (who is usually credited with the discovery of oxygen) made similar observations. (Author/MLH)

Classification is the taxonomic science in which a system of categories is established and in which the categories have some logical structure. Scientific classifications have included those by Aristotle, Linnaeus, and Lavoisier. Educational taxonomies include those developed by Bloom, Herbart, Dewey, and Piaget. The problems of taxonomy…

Discusses the fact that although most historians of science attribute the formulation of the law of conservation of matter in chemical reactions to Antoine Lavoisier at the end of the eighteenth century, several earlier researchers had already assumed this law in their work. These researchers include Joseph Black, Henry Cavendish, M. V. Lomonosov,…

Empiricists work with general concepts defined by their observed sets of objects. Their explanations involve their general concepts derived by trial and error from their untheoretical observations and experience. This paper distinguishes empirical educational research from scientific research to avoid confusion between the two. A reason for the…

This book is a collection of 50 stories of the people, events, and processes that give us our rich scientific heritage with the goal of fostering an appreciation for the process of science and for the great variety of personalities that have graced the world of science. In addition to the actual text, each story in this book contains focusing and…