History of Chemistry

Chemistry is a branch of science that has been around for a long time. In fact, chemistry is known to date back to as far
as the prehistoric times. Due to the amount of time chemistry takes up on the timeline, the science is split into four
general chronological categories. The four categories are: prehistoric times - beginning of the Christian era (black
magic), beginning of the Christian era - end of 17th century (alchemy), end of 17th century - mid 19th century
(traditional chemistry) and mid 19th century - present (modern chemistry).

Alchemy in the Middle Ages was a mixture of science, philosophy and mysticism. At the heart of medieval alchemy
was the idea that all matter was composed of four elements: earth, air. fire and water. With the right combination of
elements. any substance on earth might be formed. This included precious metals as well as elixirs to cure disease and
prolong life. Alchemists believed that the "transmutation" of one substance into another was possible: thus we have
the cliché of medieval alchemists seeking to "turn lead into gold."

Goals:

• To find the 'philosopher's stone," an elusive substance that was believed to make possible the creation of an elixir of
immortality and the transmutation of common substances into gold.

• In the later Middle Ages. to use alchemy as a tool in the advancement of medicine.

Achievements:

• Medieval alchemists produced hydrochloric acid. nitric acid. potash and sodium carbonate. • They were able to
identify the elements arsenic. antimony. and bismuth. • Through their experiments. medieval alchemists invented and
developed laboratory devices and procedures that are, in modified form, still used today. • The practice of alchemy
laid the foundation for the development of chemistry as a scientific discipline.

There were often many symbols for an element. For a time, the astronomical symbols of the planets were used to
denote the elements. However, as alchemists came to be persecuted, particularly in medieval times, secret symbols
were invented. This led to a great deal of confusion, so you will find some overlap of symbols. The symbols were in
common use through the 17th century: some are still in use today.

Look at the following symbols that alchemists used. Can you guess which elements they symbolize? One element can
have several symbols.

copper tin mercury gold silver air earth fire iron salt
Paul Matthews is a lonely biochemist with a crush on his unavailable co-worker, biologist Diane Farrow. Since he is
hopeless with the opposite sex, his friends take him to a gypsy named Madame Ruth. After reading his palm and
seeing absolutely no romance in his life, Madame Ruth gives him a small amount of Love Potion No. 8 on a piece of
paper. The substance should make him irresistible to anyone who hears him speak. As a scientist, Paul has doubts
and ends up throwing it in the trash when he gets home. His cat gets into the trash and eats some of the
potion; then it meows and attracts all the other cats in the neighbourhood. When Paul sees the results, he
takes it to Diane, and they find out the "scientific" properties of it. After analysing it, they decide to use
themselves as human test subjects.
The film gives a pseudoscientific explanation as to how Love Potion No. 8 "works:: When swallowed. it affects the
vocal cords directly, so that when you speak micro-tremors encoded within your voice stimulate tiny little hairs in the
Inner ear of the opposite sex. The hair vibrates, sending a signal along a nerve to the brain. which in turn produces a
combination of mood-altering. endogenous chemicals responsible for the biochemical process of falling in love.' After
weeks of unsuccessful attempts to seduce Diane. Paul goes back to Madame Ruth. who gives him Love Potion No. 9...

To be : ………….was/ …………… were Negative form: wasn´t / weren´t.

Regular verbs: use – used develop – developed

Irregular Verbs: List of verbs. ; lead- led come-came

Negative form: sub+didn´t +verb. Alchemist didn´t find the elixir of life.

1. Classify the following verbs and write their past form:

Destroy/want/get/convert/take/combine/see/happen/have/record/find/influence/give/send/go/do/burn/break/cut/

Regular Verbs Irregular Verbs

2. Put the highlighted verbs from History of chemistry in the correct column .

3. Answer the questions about the readings.

1. How many categories is the chemistry divided considering the time? Name them.

2. What was the one of main principle of the Alchemists?

3. What were some of their achievements?

4. How did the Alchemist identify the elements?

5. Did you see a film about alchemists? Can you mention a film about them?

6. Why did Paul meet a gypsy?

7. What did the gypsy gave Paul?

8. What did Paul do with when he got home? Why?

9. Did Paul take the potion to the laboratory ?Why?

10 . Do you think the explanation the films gives about the effects of Potion 8 has any scientific foundation?

4. Rewrite the highlighted paragraph using Past simple form of the verbs.

5. Explain with your words the History of chemistry text.