Tabla de Contenidos
At the same time, other scientists who specialized in the study of gases and molecules also stood out, such as the English chemist John Dalton and the French physicist-chemist Joseph Gay-Lussac. Dalton developed the basic concepts of atomic theory, where he stated that all matter is made up of tiny, indivisible particles called atoms. Gay-Lussac distinguished himself by his studies on the relationship between the pressure and temperature of a gas, giving rise to Gay-Lussac’s law .
Avogadro and the gas law
This law is also known as Avogadro’s hypothesis, Avogadro’s principle, or the Avogadro-Ampère hypothesis. It establishes that, having equal volumes of gases at the same temperature and pressure, they contain the same number of molecules.
Later it was also shown that the opposite is possible. It is now known that under equal conditions of pressure and temperature, a given number of molecules of two different gases occupy the same volume.
Despite the importance of the gas law, it was not accepted until a few years after Avogadro’s death. In fact, it was the Italian chemist Stanislao Cannizzaro who revisited Avogadro’s law. He used it to explain why there were some exceptions to that hypothesis. In this way, Cannizzaro clarified Avogadro’s ideas and provided the necessary empirical evidence when calculating the atomic weights of some substances. From there, Avogadro’s law received the recognition it deserved and was included as a fundamental basis of physics and chemistry.
research and work
Avogadro continued his research over the years and in 1814 he published another paper on the densities of gases.
In 1820 he began working at the famous University of Turin. There he became the first professor of Mathematical Physics.
His achievements include his support for the introduction of the metric system in Piedmont, work he carried out while serving as a member of the government’s Commission on Weights and Measures. The standardization of measurements made it possible for scientists from different locations to understand, analyze, and evaluate each other’s work and results.
Avogadro was also a member of the Royal Superior Council of Public Instruction.
He stopped working at the university in 1811. The official version suggests that he took a break to focus on his research. However, it seems that he actually lost his position due to his involvement as an activist in political revolution movements against the King of Sardinia.
Other works by Avogadro
It was only in 1833 that Avogadro got his job back at the University of Turin.
In 1841 he published other works divided into four volumes, which he called Fisica dei corpi ponderabili, ossia Trattato della costituzione materiale de’ corpi (in Spanish, Physics of ponderable bodies or Treatise on the material constitution of bodies) .
From Avogadro’s theories it was possible to name and define different concepts that today are essential in physics and chemistry. For example, the number of molecules in one mole, that is, one gram of molecular weight, is known as Avogadro’s number. Through experimentation, later studies determined that Avogadro’s number is equivalent to 6.023×10 23 molecules per gram-mole. It is also sometimes called Avogadro’s constant. Both names were designated in his honor.
death and legacy
In 1850, already 74 years old, Avogadro withdrew from the University of Turin. After a lifetime spent in teaching and research, he spent his last years in peace. He died a few years later, on July 9, 1856.
Today Avogadro is known mainly for the gas law, which bears his name as a tribute. In addition, he made numerous contributions to science, especially expanding knowledge about gases and atoms. For this reason, he is considered one of the most important scientists of his time. He is also considered one of the greatest references in physics.
Bibliography
- Muñoz, R. and Sánchez, B. The history of science in textbooks: Avogadro’s hypothesis(es), Enseñanza de las ciencias, 21 (1), 147-161. (2003). Extract available at: https://www.uv.es/~bertomeu/material/clasico/avogadro2.htm
- Morselli, M. Amede or Avogadro: A Scientific Biography. (1984). Springer.
- Daniela Rodriguez. (December 2, 2018). Amedeo Avogadro: biography and contributions. lifer. Retrieved from https://www.lifeder.com/amedeo-avogadro/
