PHLOGISTONS Meaning and
Definition
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Phlogistons were a concept in early chemistry that originated in the 17th century and was prevalent until the late 18th century. The theory posited that phlogiston was a hypothetical substance that existed in combustible materials and was released during the process of burning or combustion. This substance was believed to be responsible for many phenomena related to combustion and the oxidation of metals.
According to the phlogiston theory, when a substance burned, it released phlogiston into the air, leaving behind a residue or ash. The theory explained the decrease in weight observed during combustion, as the release of phlogiston was believed to reduce the mass of the burned substance.
Phlogiston theory also encompassed the concept of phlogisticated and dephlogisticated substances. Phlogisticated substances were thought to contain an excess of phlogiston, making them more likely to burn, while dephlogisticated substances were considered to be low in phlogiston and less flammable.
The theory of phlogistons was eventually superseded by Antoine Lavoisier's theory of oxygen and combustion in the late 18th century. Lavoisier's experiments and observations contradicted the phlogiston theory, leading to its decline and eventual abandonment in favor of more accurate understandings of combustion and chemical processes.
Common Misspellings for PHLOGISTONS
- phlogistin
- -phlogiston
- plogiston
- ohlogistons
- lhlogistons
- -hlogistons
- 0hlogistons
- pglogistons
- pblogistons
- pnlogistons
- pjlogistons
- pulogistons
- pylogistons
- phkogistons
- phpogistons
- phoogistons
- phligistons
- phlkgistons
- phllgistons
- phlpgistons
Etymology of PHLOGISTONS
The word "phlogiston" originates from the Greek word "phlogistos", which means "inflammable". It was first coined by the German physician and chemist Georg Ernst Stahl in the 17th century. Stahl proposed the phlogiston theory, which suggested that a substance called phlogiston was a fundamental component of combustible materials and was released during burning. This theory was widely accepted until the late 18th century when the concept of oxidation began to emerge.
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