Analytical Chemistry — the Oldest Field of Chemistry
Analytical chcmistry is probably the oldest field in the broad spectrum
of the scicncc of chcmistry. Many years were required to dispel the lure of
alchcmy; more were needed to demonstrate the fallacy o f the phlogiston
theory. However, it was not until the brilliant Frcnch chcmist Lavoisier
(1743-1794) demonstrated, about 1785, by actual experimental methods
that combustion was a combination of a substancc with oxygen, that he
laid the basic groundwork of modem chcmistry, and, in a very particular
sense, analytical chcmistry. Indeed, he can with considerable justification
be callcd the “father” of analytical chcmistry bccausc of the great emphasis
he placcd in all experimental work on quantitative measurement. It is in
this very ncccssary characteristic of the true analytical chcmist that he
differed from Priestley (1733-1804), a discovcrer o f oxygen. Priestley, a
clergyman forced to flee from Birmingham, England, to America bccausc
of his unorthodox political and religious views, was more o f a philosopher
than a scientist.
The first problem to engage the interest o f most chcmists was to
determine as cxactly as possible the composition o f the earth. Greater
emphasis was perhaps placcd on chcmistry than physics at this stage in
the evolution o f the natural sciences — yet, the contributions o f such
scientists as Avogadro, Boyle, and Charles all had a dircct bearing and,
therefore, great usefulness in analysis. Avogadro’s law, for example, is
extremely important in the chcmistry of gases,
bccausc it docs serve as a
basis for relating weight to volume. Indeed, it is not an overstatement to
say that during the 18th and most o f the 19th ccntury the chcmistry that
did exist was largely analytical chemistry. The pinnacle of ambition of
most chcmists at that time was to be a highly successful analyst. Any
study o f chcmical literature of this period shows a preponderance of titles
related to analytical chcmistry.
It was in the latter half of the 19th ccntury that the so-callcd “industrial
revolution’’ took placc. Many beginnings (modest at first) were made in
the industrial manufacture of numerous items consumed in the household
which were traditionally produced in the home or not at all. The
raw materials in such manufacturing operations consisted chiefly o f
chemicals.
The pressing and dyeing of textiles, the production of glass, leather,
soap — these arc merely four examples (many others could be quoted) o f
operations that moved slowly out of the home and into the factory. Slowly,
but surely, this trend built up a demand for modest changcs for a limited
number of chemicals. Except for the natural dyes and tanning extracts,
most o f the industrial chcmicals produced in this area were inorganic in
nature, principally alkalies, mineral acids, ctc.
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Words and Word-Combinations to Be Memorized
area, analytical, as... as (possible), broad, chief, chiefly, consume, demand,
etc., exactly, be forced, former, highly, house, indeed, justification, laner, the
former... the latter, literature, by/in nature, not at all, operation, perhaps, press,
quote, raw, in a sense, in the sense of, stage, succcssful, successfully, title,
traditional, traditionally, usefulness, view, yet
Ex. 5. Give the Russian equivalents for the following:
the phlogiston theory, demonstrate the fallacy o f a theory, in a very
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