Adair Crawford facts for kids
Adair Crawford (1748–29 July 1795) was an important chemist and doctor. He was a pioneer in measuring heat, a method called calorimetry. He studied how much heat different substances could hold. He also looked at the heat made during chemical reactions.
In his famous 1779 book, "Experiments and Observations on Animal Heat", Crawford showed new ideas. He proved that animals breathing is like a type of burning. This was two years after Antoine Lavoisier's similar work. Crawford also helped discover the element strontium.
Early Life and Career
Adair Crawford was born in Crumlin, Belfast. His father was Rev Thomas Crawford. Adair studied medicine at the University of Glasgow and the University of Edinburgh. He earned his MA degree in 1770.
Later, he worked at St George's Hospital in London. He became a doctor (MD) in 1780. He was a Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, in London. He also worked as a doctor at St Thomas' Hospital, London.
In 1785, Crawford became a member of the American Philosophical Society. The next year, in 1786, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society of London. In 1787, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. He died in Lymington, Hampshire, on 29 July 1795.
Measuring Heat (Calorimetry)
Adair Crawford was very good at doing experiments. He focused on the details of his tests. He let the results speak for themselves.
He was a pioneer in calorimetry. This is the science of measuring heat. He developed ways to measure the specific heat capacity of substances. This means how much heat a substance can hold. He also measured the heat produced during chemical reactions. His work helped scientists understand how heat behaves.
Discovery of Strontium
In 1790, Adair Crawford worked with his colleague William Cruickshank. They were both at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. They noticed that a mineral called strontianite was different from barium minerals. This observation led to the discovery of strontium.
Because of their work, Crawford and Cruickshank are often credited with discovering strontium. However, Humphry Davy was the first to get the pure element in 1808.
Honours
- Fellow of the Royal Society (1786)
