Amedeo Avogadro
Emma Raggio
Ms. Bednarska
Chemistry Period B
30 September, 2014
Amedeo Avogadro Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin, Italy, on 9th August, 1776. He was born to a family of lawyers. His father, Count Filippo Avogadro, was a well-known lawyer and public servant. Amedeo became a lawyer in 1796. Soon after he got his doctorate of law, he became interested in natural philosophy and mathematics. He left his successful legal career to teach mathematics and physics at the high school level in Vercelli, Italy in 1809. In 1820 he was appointed professor of mathematical physics at the University of Turin. Unfortunately, Avogadro lost his job in July, 1822. The job was reestablished in 1832, and Avogadro took his position back in 1834. He remained there until1859 when he retired.
In 1811, Avogadro believed that equal volumes of gases at the same temperature and pressure, contain equal numbers of molecules. He also figured out that relative molecular weights of any two gases are similar to the ratio of the densities of the two gases under the constant conditions of temperature and pressure. This is now known as the Avogadro’s Principle. He also figured out that simple gases were not single atoms but were compound molecules of two or more atoms. In 1811, the words atom and molecule meant the same thing. He talked about three kinds of “molecules,” including an “elementary molecule” what we would call an atom. Then Avogadro was able to solve some of the confusion others had met regarding atoms and molecules at that time.
Avogadro’s theories were almost completely ignored until after his death, when they were presented by a man named Stanislao Cannizarro at a conference in 1860. He said that Avogadro’s Principle was not only helpful to determine molar masses, but also, atomic mass. Avogadro’s work was dismissed before because of the belief that chemical combination occurred due to similarity between unlike elements. After the electrical discoveries of Galvani and Volta,
Ms. Bednarska
Chemistry Period B
30 September, 2014
Amedeo Avogadro Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin, Italy, on 9th August, 1776. He was born to a family of lawyers. His father, Count Filippo Avogadro, was a well-known lawyer and public servant. Amedeo became a lawyer in 1796. Soon after he got his doctorate of law, he became interested in natural philosophy and mathematics. He left his successful legal career to teach mathematics and physics at the high school level in Vercelli, Italy in 1809. In 1820 he was appointed professor of mathematical physics at the University of Turin. Unfortunately, Avogadro lost his job in July, 1822. The job was reestablished in 1832, and Avogadro took his position back in 1834. He remained there until1859 when he retired.
In 1811, Avogadro believed that equal volumes of gases at the same temperature and pressure, contain equal numbers of molecules. He also figured out that relative molecular weights of any two gases are similar to the ratio of the densities of the two gases under the constant conditions of temperature and pressure. This is now known as the Avogadro’s Principle. He also figured out that simple gases were not single atoms but were compound molecules of two or more atoms. In 1811, the words atom and molecule meant the same thing. He talked about three kinds of “molecules,” including an “elementary molecule” what we would call an atom. Then Avogadro was able to solve some of the confusion others had met regarding atoms and molecules at that time.
Avogadro’s theories were almost completely ignored until after his death, when they were presented by a man named Stanislao Cannizarro at a conference in 1860. He said that Avogadro’s Principle was not only helpful to determine molar masses, but also, atomic mass. Avogadro’s work was dismissed before because of the belief that chemical combination occurred due to similarity between unlike elements. After the electrical discoveries of Galvani and Volta,
Cited: "Amedeo Avogadro." Famous Scientists. Famous Scientists - Content & Imagery ©, 2014. Web. 29 Sept. 2014. Helmenstine, Anne. "Learn About Amedeo Avogadro, the Scientist Who Discovered Avogadro’s Law." About. 2014. Web. 28 Sept. 2014.