Robert+Boyle

__ Robert Boyhle __January 25, 1627 - December 30, 1691 By Nicole Breuninger PD4 //** "If the omniscient author of nature knew that the study of his works tends to make men disbelieve his Being or Attributes, he would not have given them so many invitations to study and contemplate Nature." -R.B. **// Boyle was born in 1627 to one of the richest men of the British Isles. He was tutored at home during his younger years but studied in his later years at Oxford learning philosophy, mathematics, and the new physics of Bacon, Descartes, and Galileo. At Oxford his fellow colleges and himself studied New Philosophy which was value observations and experiments that was made from logical thinking in formulating accurate scientific understanding. Boyle published copiously on topics ranging across several fields of science, philosophy, and theology. Boyle believed that theories must be tested and proven by experiments not just by looking back at what Greek philosophers believed. His first major scientific report as a chemist was //The Spring and Weight of the Air// which was published in 1660 and described experiments using a new vacuum pump of his design. Other vacuum designs failed because it involved two men while Boyle's design could work efficiently with only one man. With this design Boyle demonstrated that the sound of a bell in the receiver by using a 3rd vacuum chamber faded the air and removed it, proving that air was necessary for the transmission of sound. In further experiments, he also proved that air was necessary for life and for a candle flame. The second edition of The Spring and Weight of the Air was published in 1662 and contained the pressure - volume inverse relationship**.** Boyle's best known contribution to the science world is the 1661 publication of The Sceptical Chemist in which he discusses the idea of an element. This work established him as a founder of the modern scientific method and his arguments were so persuasive that it won over many important converts, most notably Isaac Newton.

//** "I am not ambitious to appear a man of letters: I could be content the world should think I had scarce looked upon any other book than that of nature." -R.B. **// Robert Boyle was a man who questioned nature and for this he did many experiments to prove himself and others theories correct. Because he did this modern chemistry was forever changed in many ways. He proved previous theories that air follows a certain law, and from this came the first working air pumps/ vacuums. Also he gave us the definition of an element which we still use today. From this he wrote a book called //The Skeptical Chymist// and in this book he wrote an easy to read way to do step by step experiments. Boyle also discovered the element Phosphorus and to spread his discovery he and his past colleges meet on a regular basis, the first group to meet on a regular basis for science. Though Boyle was a scientist among other things his real fame came to him when he was working in chemistry.



__Notebook activity __ For this activity you are to made a commemorative stamp to recognize Boyle's achievements in the chemistry and science world. A commemorative stamp is a postage stamp issued to honor or commemorate a place, event or person. Along with the stamp make sure you have a paragraph explaining your stamp. Be sure to use color in your stamp picture.

 __Hero__ Robert Boyle has achieved so much greatness in the chemistry field that we feel to award his acts. Boyle has accomplished many things in the chemistry field, though he is not just a chemist he is also a scientist. We are proud to say that our chemistry knowledge has grown because of Boyle. He discovered that air follows a certain law, which also helped him with making a better vacuum/air pump. Also he discovered the new element Phosphorus and tested how it reacts. This is a great discovery towards building more into the periodic table. People like Charles II supported these discoveries and helped Boyle spread his ideas. With all his work he did have to overcome that some people did not like him because they thought he did not do his work, but instead his assistant did all the work. He denied these accusations and continued doing his work. His ideas are still believed today and used among all chemists. For these accomplishments we award Robert Boyle the James T. Grady-James H. Stack Award for Interpreting Chemistry for the Public. . __Wanted__ Robert Boyle is here by wanted for his crime of fraud against his work. He has worked with his assistant Robert Hooke who was the one who actually built the new version of the air pump. Boyle took all the credit for this brilliant man and gave almost none to the real genuis Hooke. We the other scientists of Boyles time want him to realize what he has done and turn himself in. Though today not many people believe this at all, since Boyle recieved the title of the founder of modern chemistry.

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE!