(December 6, 1778 – May 9, 1850)
Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac was insatiably curious: a trait which predisposed him into becoming one of the top experimenters of the 19th century. Prior to his physics professorship, he researched extensively in chemistry. After occupying that physics chair for 24 years at Sorbonne, he relinquished it for a chemistry one at the Jardin des Plantes (located also there in Paris). Gases intrigued him; just like his showy compatriot, Antoine Lavoisier. With the aid of hydrogen-filled balloons, he would ascend a few kilometers above sea-level in order to collect fresh air samples for analysis. It was many of such analyses which led him to discover that when gases react at constant temperature and pressure, they combine in volumes which are in simple ratios; (and to the volume of the product if gaseous). This gas law became known as Gay-Lussac’s Law of Combining Volumes. And the clues it provided motivated Amedeo Avogadro to come-up with his own groundbreaking hypothesis, after ancillary investigations. Apart from working with gases, Gay-Lussac made other notable contributions to chemistry. For example, he co-discovered boron with Louis Jacques Thénard and Humphry Davy. And while collaborating with Alexander von Humboldt, he discovered that water constitutes of 2 parts of hydrogen and 1 part of oxygen by volume. He also coined the terms: “burette” and “pipette” after developing improved versions of both. And his quantitative analyses of alcohols encouraged France and Britain to adopt Degrees Gay-Lussac as the standard percentage-by-volume measurement for ethanol. Dedicated to him is the 26-kilometer-wide Gay-Lussac lunar crater.
All rights reserved. © Valentine Oduenyi
I hope you’re aware of the amazing service you’re providing to many of us. Through this site you’ve educated people you’ve never met. I’m thankful.
Fantastique! Merci!
Excellent!
Determined and dedicated researcher.
Gay-Lussac barely gets enough recognition. I appreciate seeing him here.
He is often underrated.
Gas Laws are special
Sweet memories from my High School days.
I also remember learning about him
I miss those good days gone by…
Moi aussi
Salute!
Science is all about observe and confirm.
Il s’agit d’une excellente critique.
Sapaviva also made me thinking about my school days.
Very good
Good for him
Degrees Gay-Lussac sounds good
I scored it A+
Very good indeed
Bravo!!!!!!
I appreciate his alternating Physics and Chemistry combo.
A big thanks to you