John Dalton

John Dalton

English chemist and physicist
Date of Birth: 06.09.1766
Country: Great Britain

Content:
  1. Biography of John Dalton
  2. Early Life and Education
  3. Career and Scientific Contributions
  4. Atomic Theory and Later Life

Biography of John Dalton

John Dalton, an English chemist and physicist, is known for his contributions to the development of atomic theory. He established the law of multiple proportions in 1803 and introduced the concept of atomic weight. Dalton was the first to determine the atomic weights of several elements and discovered the gas laws that were named after him. He also described the visual defect known as color blindness, later named Daltonism, that he himself suffered from.

Early Life and Education

John Dalton was born on September 6, 1766, in a poor family in the small English village of Eaglesfield. At the age of thirteen, he completed his education at a local school and became an assistant teacher. In the autumn of 1781, he became a mathematics teacher in Kendal. Dalton started his scientific research in 1787, focusing on the observation and experimental study of air. He also developed an interest in mathematics and independently worked on new mathematical problems and solutions. Dalton wrote his first scientific papers in this field. After four years, he became the headmaster of the school. During this time, Dalton formed a close relationship with Dr. Charles Hutton, the editor of several journals of the Royal Military Academy. Dalton became one of the regular contributors to these almanacs and received several prestigious awards for his contributions to the development of mathematics and philosophy.

Career and Scientific Contributions

In 1793, Dalton moved to Manchester, where he taught at the New College. He brought with him the manuscript "Meteorological Observations and Essays," in which he analyzed the processes of cloud formation, evaporation, distribution of atmospheric precipitation, and the morning north winds, along with descriptions of barometers, thermometers, hygrometers, and other instruments. Dalton became a member of the Literary and Philosophical Society in 1794 and served as its secretary in 1800. He was elected as the vice-president in May 1808 and served as the president from 1817 until his death. In 1794, Dalton presented a lecture on color blindness, a visual defect now known as Daltonism. In 1799, he left the New College and became the highest-paid private tutor in Manchester, teaching only a few hours a day in wealthy families and devoting the rest of his time to scientific research. Dalton's attention was drawn to gases and gas mixtures, leading him to make several fundamental discoveries, including the law of uniform expansion of gases upon heating in 1802, the law of multiple proportions in 1803, and the phenomenon of polymerism using examples of ethylene and butylene.

Atomic Theory and Later Life

On September 6, 1803, Dalton recorded the first table of atomic weights in his laboratory journal. He first mentioned the atomic theory in his paper "On the Absorption of Gases by Water and Other Liquids," presented on October 21, 1803, at the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society. From December 1803 to May 1804, Dalton delivered a series of lectures on relative atomic weights at the Royal Institution in London. He further developed his atomic theory in his book "A New System of Chemical Philosophy," published in 1808. The book emphasized two key points: all chemical reactions are the result of the combination or division of atoms, and atoms of different elements have different weights.

In 1816, Dalton was elected a corresponding member of the Paris Academy of Sciences. The following year, he became the president of the Manchester Society, and in 1818, the British government appointed him as a scientific expert for an expedition led by Sir John Ross. However, Dalton preferred the quiet work in his laboratory and declined the opportunity. He continued his research on atomic weights.

In 1822, Dalton became a member of the Royal Society. Shortly after, he traveled to France, where the Paris Academy of Sciences appointed him to its honorary council, recognizing his outstanding contributions to the field of science.

In 1826, Dalton was awarded the Royal Society's highest honor, the Copley Medal, for his discoveries in the fields of chemistry and physics, primarily for his development of atomic theory. He was elected as an honorary member of the Berlin Academy of Sciences, the Moscow Society of Naturalists, and the Munich Academy.

In 1832, Dalton received the highest distinction from the University of Oxford, as he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Among the scientists of that time, only Michael Faraday received a similar honor.

In 1833, Dalton was granted a pension, and the decision of the government was announced at a ceremonial session at the University of Cambridge.

Despite his advanced age, Dalton continued to work diligently and present papers. However, with old age, he began to suffer from frequent illnesses and found it increasingly difficult to work. On July 27, 1844, Dalton passed away.

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