Department of Education
Region VI– Western Visayas
Schools Division of Iloilo
BUGA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Buga, Leon, Iloilo
SUBJECT: Physical Science
Lesson 3: ATOMOS, ARISTOTLE AND
ALCHEMY (Chemistry before Modern
History)
THE GNOME THEORY OF PHYSICS
ATOMS
Atoms are simply gnomes in their smallest form.
So small, one can’t even see these gnomes under a
microscope. Each of these itty-bitty gnomes hold hands
and feet to build webs of atoms which create everything
we have in our infinite universe. From drawers to doors-
it’s all made of gnomes! Radioactivity arises when one
unwanted gnome is thrown from his structure and
hurdles toward another.
THE GNOME THEORY OF PHYSICS says
that the universe can be explained entirely by the actions
and effects of tiny versions of gnomes. For example:
GRAVITY
Gnomes like the ground. Gnomes throw small invisible
ropes to the ground. These ropes attach to unseen hooks
that enable muscle-toned gnomes to pull themselves
toward the ground. There is minimal gravity far from
planetary bodies (i.e. in space) because gnomes don’t
have cables long enough for them. All bodies experience
gravitational attraction to each other quite simply
because gnomes are, to put it mildly, sociable creatures.
LIGHT
Gnomes that make up our eyes can see what color hats
other gnomes are wearing to make up, say a table, are
wearing. They then hi-five gnomes in our 'optical nerve'
who run to tell the brain gnomes what they have seen.
This makes us think we are seeing a table when in fact,
it's all gnomes.
STATES OF MATTER
A solid is little more than a closely compacted
configuration of gnomes all holding hands, wearing
hats and having legs. Heating causes gnomes to
become excited or tickled. They start to loosen their
grip of their neighbors (liquid). When gnomes are
tickled, they are no longer able to hold on and just float
away in groups of one or more (gas). Sometimes the
gnomes get so excited they catch fire (plasma).
I. Atomism
LEUCIPPUS and DEMOCRITUS
•
were two of the most important theorists about
the natural and physical world
• they were called PHYSICISTS in Ancient
Greece
• they considered the idea of atomism
ATOMISM
 the idea that things are made up of much smaller
things that cannot be changed nor divided.
• Atoms make up most of the things in the
universe; where there are no atoms, there is a
void.
• Atoms are incredibly small and cannot be
divided, hence atomos (uncuttable).
• Atoms themselves are solid, homogeneous and
cannot change.
• Atoms moving about and colliding in the void
cause the changes we see in our universe.
• The shapes, sizes and weights of individual
atoms influence the characteristics of the thing
they make up. e.g. sharp atoms cause our
tongues to tear and make bitter or sour tastes, and
atoms that compose clay are joined by flexible
joints which harden when the clay is baked.
II. Non-atomistic views of the Greeks
1. ANAXAGORAS
- He is a philosopher that argued that there was
an infinite number of elementary natural substances
in the form of infinitesimally small particles that
combined that comprise the different things in the
universe.
2. EMPEDOCLES
-He is a philosopher who stated that everything
is made up of four eternal and unchanging kinds of
matter fire, air (all gases), water (all liquids and
metals) and earth (all solids).
3. PLATO
- Plato further expanded Empedocles’ theory by
saying each of the four kinds of matter is composed of
Geometrical solids (“Platonic solids”) further divisible
into triangles. When rearranged, these triangles could
cause the apparent transformations between the four
basic kinds of matter.
4. ARISTOTLE- Aristotle believed that the four extensively on how metals can be purified. He came up
elements could be balanced in substances in an with the preparation of acids such as nitric,
infinite number of ways, and that when combined gave hydrochloric and sulfuric acids, as well as aqua regia
proportions of “essential qualities,” hot, dry, cold and (nitro-hydrochloric acid).
wet. Transformations between the four elements caused IV. Western Alchemy
changes in the universe. The field of alchemy became popular in the Western
world because of Aristotle’s ideas on the elements and
III. Growth of alchemy across different the techniques developed by other civilizations.
civilizations Alchemists tried to play with the balance of the four
elements (fire, water, air, earth) and three principles
ALCHEMY- a science that was used in the Middle
Ages with the goal of changing ordinary metals into (salt, sulfur and mercury) to transform or transmute
gold. substances. Among their aims was to try and transform
- from the Arabic/Greek alkīmiyā or “the art “impure” or “base” metals like lead or iron into the
of transmuting”. “purer” metals of silver or gold, discover a magical
THE EMERGENCE OF CIVILIZATION “Philosopher’s Stone,” and produce the so-called
“Elixir of Life.” With a T-chart, distinguish how
MESOPOTAMIANS alchemy both contributed to and hampered scientific
- had techniques to utilize metals like gold and copper
thought.
- assigned certain symbols to match metals with the
heavenly bodies such as the Sun and Moon ALCHEMY: THE ART OF TRANSMUTING
- made use of other materials such as dyes, glass, paints,
and perfumes.
EGYPTIANS
- adapted techniques from the Mesopotamians and
perfected the use of bronze, dye and glass that the
Greeks later copied.
CHINESE
- had their own processes for metalwork and ceramic
materials PROTOSCIENCE
- focused on finding minerals, plants and substances that
- An unscientific field of study which later developed
could prolong life
into real science (e.g. astrology toward astronomy
- Some of the substances discovered in Chinese
and alchemy toward chemistry).
medicine have been found to have actual positive
- also called “emerging science” or “near science”
effects while others were found useless or even
harmful, like mercury. PSEUDOSCIENCE
INDIANS - consists of statements, beliefs, or practices that are
claimed to be scientific and factual, in the absence of
- like the Chinese, had a kind of alchemy (rasayana) that
evidence gathered and constrained by appropriate
looked at different substances and practices for Vedic
scientific methods
medicine. This is tied closely to Hindu and Buddhist
beliefs. Prepared by: GROUP 2
- perfected the use of iron and steel JODELYN MAE S. CANGREJO
- well-known manufacturers of dyes, glass, cement, REGINA MAY ARGUELLES
solutions for textiles, and soap. GENO CAIGOY
JAMES PAUL CABUGA
ARABS AND MUSLIMS ANDREA CAJILIG
- enriched not only the practice but also the literature of
chemistry.
a. JABIR IBN-HAYYAN
- He is also known as Geber, translated the practices and
Aristotelian thinking of the Greeks and wrote