Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner
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Döbereiner
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| Born | 13 December 1780 Hof, Principality of Bayreuth
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| Died | 24 March 1849 (aged 68) |
| Known for | Döbereiner's triads Döbereiner's lamp |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Chemistry |
| Institutions | University of Jena |
Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner (born December 13, 1780 – died March 24, 1849) was a German chemist. He is famous for his work that helped lead to the periodic law for chemical elements. He also invented the first lighter, which was called the Döbereiner's lamp. He later became a professor of chemistry and pharmacy at the University of Jena.
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A Life of Discovery
Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner grew up as the son of a coachman. This meant he did not have many chances to go to school. Instead, he became an apprentice to a pharmacist. During this time, he read many books and went to science lectures.
In 1810, he became a professor at the University of Jena. He also studied chemistry in a city called Strasbourg.
Döbereiner's Triads
In 1829, Döbereiner shared some interesting patterns he found among certain groups of elements. He noticed that some groups of three elements, called "triads," had similar properties.
For example, he found that the average weight of lithium and potassium was very close to the weight of sodium. These three elements also behaved in similar ways.
He saw similar patterns with other groups:
He also noticed that the densities (how heavy something is for its size) of these triads followed a similar pattern. These special groups of elements became known as "Döbereiner's triads." His work was an important step towards understanding how elements are organized in the periodic table.
Other Inventions and Discoveries
Döbereiner made other important discoveries too. He found a chemical compound called furfural. He also studied how platinum could be used as a catalyst. A catalyst is something that speeds up a chemical reaction without being used up itself.
He is also well-known for inventing a lighter called Döbereiner's lamp. This lamp used a chemical reaction to create a flame. By 1828, a German company had made hundreds of thousands of these lighters.
Friendship with Goethe
Döbereiner was friends with the famous German writer Goethe. Goethe often went to Döbereiner's lectures. He even used Döbereiner's ideas about how chemicals react with each other as a basis for his famous book, Elective Affinities, which was published in 1809.
See also
In Spanish: Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner para niños
