Today, chemistry, as a basic subject, plays an increasingly important role in all aspects of science and technology and social life. From ancient times to the present, with the progress of human society, what periods have the development of chemical history gone through?
The ancient period of process chemistry. At this time, the technology of ceramics, metallurgy, wine-making and dyeing of human beings is mainly inspired by practical experience, and through thousands of years of exploration, chemical knowledge has not yet formed. This is the embryonic period of chemistry.
The period of alchemy and medical chemistry. From BC 1500 to AD 1650, alchemists and alchemists started the earliest chemical experiments in the palace, in the church, in their own homes and in the smoky mountains, in order to seek the immortal elixir and rich gold. There are many books about alchemy in China, Arabia, Egypt and Greece. During this period, many chemical changes between substances were accumulated, which prepared rich materials for the further development of chemistry. This is a magnificent sight that amazes us in the history of chemistry. Later, alchemy and alchemy experienced ups and downs, which made people see its absurd side more. Chemical methods have been properly used in medicine and metallurgy. During the European Renaissance, some books on chemistry were published and the word "chemistry" was used for the first time. Chemistry in English originated from alchemy, namely alchemy. Chemist still retains two related meanings: chemist and pharmacist. These can be said to be chemical relics born out of alchemy and pharmaceutical industry.
The phlogiston chemical period. From 1650 to 1775, with the accumulation of metallurgical industry and laboratory experience, people have summed up the perceptual knowledge that combustible materials can burn because they contain phlogiston, and the combustion process is the process in which phlogiston is released from combustible materials and turned into ashes.
The period of quantitative chemistry is the period of modern chemistry. 1775 or so, lavoisier expounded the oxidation theory of combustion with quantitative chemical experiments, which initiated the era of quantitative chemistry. During this period, many basic laws of chemistry were established, atomism was put forward, the periodic law of elements was discovered, and the theory of organic structure was developed. All these have laid a solid foundation for the development of modern chemistry.
The period of mutual infiltration of science is the period of modern chemistry. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the development of quantum theory made chemistry and physics have a common language, and solved many unresolved problems in chemistry. On the other hand, the infiltration of chemistry into biology and geology gradually solved the structural problems of protein and enzymes.
The English word for Chemistry is chemistry, French is Chimie and German is Chemie. They all evolved from an ancient word, namely, Latin chemia, Greek Xηwa(Chamia), Hebrew Chaman or haman, Arabic Chema or Kyle, and Egyptian Chemie. Its earliest source is hard to find. According to the available data, it first appeared in the records of Egypt in the fourth century, so some people think that it can be assumed that it comes from the ancient Egyptian word Chemi, but the meaning of this name is very obscure, with the meaning of chaos, concealment, secret or darkness in Egypt and Egyptian art and religion.
These meanings are probably because Egypt is the place where western chemical records were born and where ancient chemistry, especially practical chemistry, is extremely developed. For example, in the 1 1 dynasty, there was a sculpture in Egypt, indicating that workers were making glass. It can be seen that Egypt knew how to make glass at least before 2500 BC. From the mummies unearthed in Egypt, we can see that in 12000 BC, we were skilled in using preservatives and dyeing with cloth and silk. Therefore, the ancients named "chemistry" after Egypt or Egyptian art. As for other meaning, it may be because the ancients thought that chemistry was a magical and secret undertaking with religious overtones.
China's chemical history is certainly not inferior. About 5000- 1 1000 years ago, we were able to make pottery. There were highly exquisite bronzes in the Shang Dynasty more than 3,000 years ago. Papermaking, porcelain and gunpowder were great inventions in the history of chemistry. In 16 and 17 centuries, China was the most advanced country in the world. The word "chemistry" was first used in China in 1856. It first appeared in the book Geophysical Exploration Elements published by British missionary william johnson in 1856.
The development of chemistry can be said to be changing with each passing day, especially its marginal disciplines or its branches, such as biochemistry, physical chemistry, crystal chemistry and so on, which are dizzying. At present, the overheated genetic engineering, cloning technology and yoke electric field theory are even more dazzling. And how many chemists have made immeasurable contributions to the development of chemistry throughout the ages. Do you want to know them? Chemical celebrities will bring you closer to them. ....