Joseph Black’s Followers (5)

Joseph Black

Born

in Bordeaux, France

April 16, 1728

Died

December 06, 1799

Website

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Black

Genre

Science, Medicine, Chemistry

Influences

David Hume, Adam Smith, William Cullen ...more

edit data

Joseph Black FRSE FRCPE FPSG was a Scottish physician and chemist, known for his discoveries of latent heat, specific heat, and carbon dioxide. He was Professor of Anatomy and Chemistry at the University of Glasgow for 10 years from 1756, and then Professor of Medicine and Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh from 1766, teaching and lecturing there for more than 30 years.

In about 1750, while still a student, Black developed the analytical balance based on a light-weight beam balanced on a wedge-shaped fulcrum. Each arm carried a pan on which the sample or standard weights was placed. It far exceeded the accuracy of any other balance of the time and became an important scientific instrument in most chemistry laboratories.

In 1757, Black w Joseph Black FRSE FRCPE FPSG was a Scottish physician and chemist, known for his discoveries of latent heat, specific heat, and carbon dioxide. He was Professor of Anatomy and Chemistry at the University of Glasgow for 10 years from 1756, and then Professor of Medicine and Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh from 1766, teaching and lecturing there for more than 30 years.

In about 1750, while still a student, Black developed the analytical balance based on a light-weight beam balanced on a wedge-shaped fulcrum. Each arm carried a pan on which the sample or standard weights was placed. It far exceeded the accuracy of any other balance of the time and became an important scientific instrument in most chemistry laboratories.

In 1757, Black was appointed Regius Professor of the Practice of Medicine at the University of Glasgow.

In 1761 he deduced that the application of heat to ice at its melting point does not cause a rise in temperature of the ice/water mixture, but rather an increase in the amount of water in the mixture. Additionally, Black observed that the application of heat to boiling water does not result in a rise in temperature of a water/steam mixture, but rather an increase in the amount of steam. From these observations, he concluded that the heat applied must have combined with the ice particles and boiling water and become latent.

The theory of latent heat marks the beginning of thermodynamics. Black's theory of latent heat was one of his more-important scientific contributions, and one on which his scientific fame chiefly rests. He also showed that different substances have different specific heats.

The theory ultimately proved important not only in the development of abstract science but in the development of the steam engine. The latent heat of water is large compared with many other liquids, so giving impetus to James Watt's attempts to improve the efficiency of the steam engine invented by Thomas Newcomen. Black and Watt became friends after meeting around 1757 while both were at Glasgow. Black provided significant financing and other support for Watt's early research in steam power.

Black also explored the properties of a gas produced in various reactions. He found that limestone (calcium carbonate) could be heated or treated with acids to yield a gas he called "fixed air." He observed that the fixed air was denser than air and did not support either flame or animal life. Black also found that when bubbled through an aqueous solution of lime (calcium hydroxide), it would precipitate calcium carbonate. He used this phenomenon to illustrate that carbon dioxide is produced by animal respiration and microbial fermentation.

Black never married. He died peacefully at his home in Edinburgh in 1799 at the age of 71 and is buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard.

In 2011 scientific equipment believed to belong to Black was discovered during an archaeological dig at the University of Edinburgh. ...more

Combine Editions
Joseph Black’s books

Average rating: 3.48 · 101 ratings · 13 reviews · 73 distinct works

	The Broadview Anthology of British Literature: Concise Volume B - Second Edition: The Age of Romanticism - The Victorian Era - The Twentieth Century and Beyond by Joseph Black (Editor), Lorne Falkenstein (Editor), Neil McArthur (Editor) 3.91 avg rating — 23 ratings — published 2013	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Experiments upon Magnesia alba, Quicklime, and some other Alcaline Substances 3.89 avg rating — 9 ratings — published 2012 — 18 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Broadview Anthology of British Literature: Concise Volume A - Third Edition: The Medieval Period - The Renaissance and the Early Seventeenth Century - The Restoration and the Eighteenth Century by Joseph Black, Leonard Conolly (Editor), Kate Flint (Editor) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Coffee Table Book: Ridiculous Facts, Strange History, and Fascinating Trivia Designed to be Opened at Any Page did not like it 1.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Correspondence of Joseph Black, Volume 1 by Joseph Black, Robert G.W. Anderson (Editor), Jean Jones (Editor) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2012 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Vorlesungen ber die Grundlehren der Chemie: In Vier B Nden, Volume 2 by Joseph Black, John Robison 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 2012	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Lectures on the Elements of Chemistry Delivered in the University of Edinburgh, Volume 2 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 1803 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Proceedings of the Zoological and Acclimatisation Society of Victoria 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Lectures on the Elements of Chemistry Delivered in the University of Edinburgh, Volume 1 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Broadview Anthology of British Literature: Two-Volume Compact Edition, Volume A – Second Edition by Joseph Black (Editor), Leonard Conolly (Editor), Kate Flint (Editor) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Joseph Black…

Quotes by Joseph Black (?)

“Upon the whole, Chymistry is as yet but an opening science, closely connected with the useful and ornamental arts, and worthy the attention of the liberal mind. And it must always become more and more so: for though it is only of late, that it has been looked upon in that light, the great progress already made in Chymical knowledge, gives us a pleasant prospect of rich additions to it. The Science is now studied on solid and rational grounds. While our knowledge is imperfect, it is apt to run into error: but Experiment is the thread that will lead us out of the labyrinth.”
― Joseph Black

tags: art, chemistry, experiment, imperfect, knowledge, labyrinth, liberal, mind, progress, prospect, rich, science, study, useful

4 likes

Joseph Black’s Followers (5)

Joseph Black

Combine EditionsJoseph Black’s books

Combine Editions
Joseph Black’s books