Alchemy and Chemistry

Alchemy and Chemistry

Introduction

The aim of this essay is to demonstrate a clear understanding of alchemy and chemistry. Ancient art practiced especially in the middle ages, which was mostly devoted to discovering a substance that would transmute common metals into gold and silver, and find ways to prolong human life indefinitely. Although, its purposes and techniques were dubious and often illusory, alchemy was in many ways the predecessor of modern science, especially chemistry. However, alchemy was born in ancient Egypt, and began to flourish in Alexandria. It is considered that the writings of some early Greek philosophers contain the first chemical theories, and the theory advanced in the V century. C. influenced by Empedocles in alchemy. Alchemy, as with the rest of Arabic science was transmitted to Europe through Spain, thanks to the extraordinary flourishing of the sciences and arts in Al-Andalus experienced during the middle ages (Knight, 1992). Moreover, the most famous of the alchemists was the Swiss Paracelsus, who lived in the sixteenth century. He had the elements of compound bodies which were mercury, salt and sulfur that were representing water, fire, earth, and air.

Discussion

What is alchemy?

Alchemy is an ancient branch of natural philosophy, and has two main objectives. The first goal is the completion of the base metals, i.e., their conversion into silver and gold. This process is also known as transmutation and includes experimental, practical, scientific aspect of alchemy. The second objective is improvement of the alchemist's soul through his work (Knight, 1992). This is aimed at, among others, the prolongation of life or immortality. It is the psycho-religious-philosophical, spiritual aspect.

Three alchemical theories

The alchemy brought with it a variety of theories. A selection of the most important, the focus of the scientific aspect of alchemy is to be explained here.

The four elements and transmutation theory

The four elements and transmutation theory Aristotle (384-322 BC) set up. It is one of the earliest theories of alchemy and is in the time of Greek alchemy classified, the highlight of the first Century BC to settle. The theory is based on the four main elements: water, air, earth and fire, which was characterized by two "original properties". By changing the "original properties" should be a transformation of the elements together to be possible. What seems far-fetched for our first one, can be explained at least in the case of boiling water plausible. When heating water which is changed Ureigenschaft cold, the water is warm. Upon boiling the water goes over into the gaseous state. The water vapor appears to be wet and warm "air" (Knight, 1992).

The sulfur-mercury theory

The sulfur-mercury theory developed around the 9th Century AD. It includes in its basic features of the valid Aristotelian four elements for a long time and transmutation and teaching is also based on the four main elements: water, air, earth and fire. It says that all metals can be produced from these four elements. It is in converting the sulfur / mercury through intermediate. As a function of the ratio of sulfur and ...