Antoine laurent de lavoisier biography of michael

Lavoisier was a French chemist who was a key figure in the chemical revolution of the 18th-century. Amongst his pioneering achievements, he recognised and discovered oxygen and hydrogen – discovering the role of oxygen in combustion.

Lavoisier helped bring a new scientific rigour to the subject of chemistry, using quantitative methods rather than relying on hypothesis. He constructed a list of elements and helped to construct the metric system.

Antoine lavoisier biography

Using the work of other scientists, Lavoisier was able to combine into a new common framework which broke with previous classical beliefs. He ushered in a new era of modern chemistry.

Lavoisier was a wealthy French noble who used his position in the Ferme Generale to fund both his chemistry experiments and social works.

Despite his efforts in the field of water sanitation, agriculture and street lighting, his position in the hated Ferme Generale made him a target during the French Revolution, and in 1794 he was guillotined for ‘t