| |
|
|
| |
 |
| Atoms And Molecules
|
|
| From the earliest times, man has always wondered about the ultimate nature of matter. He has searched to establish the basic constituents of all the substances. However, earlier efforts were more in the nature of speculations and not based on scientific investigations. For example, Alchemists, who were the forerunners to modern day chemists, wanted to convert base metals into gold by discovering and using the 'philosophers stone' an illusionary substance. Though unsuccessful on this front, they succeeded in separating and identifying arsenic, antimony and bismuth.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| In this way even before knowing what elements were, man started extracting them from their ores. A few metals like gold, silver, iron, copper, lead, tin and mercury were used as far back as 2000 years ago, in the 1st century A.D. A mention of them is made in the 'Charaka Samhita' - a medical treatise of ancient India where these metals were associated with a particular heavenly body.
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Get FREE Live Tutoring
(No credit card required)
|
|
|
