Priestley, Joseph

Priestley, Joseph (1733-1804)

Priestley

Priestley, Joseph

18th Century
Born: Fieldhead (England), 1733
Died: Northumberland (USA, Pennsylvania), 1804

Priestley was a Unitarian minister and he never studied science formally. Under the influence of Benjamin Franklin, Priestley carried out research on electricity (1769). In 1772 he isolated a number of gases, such as nitrous oxide and in 1774 he isolated a new gas "dephlogisticated air" (oxygen) and studied the properties of this new gas. Priestley also recognized the fact that plants were influenced by light (photosynthesis).

Related Links

Link icon Modern History Sourcebook: Joseph Priestley: The Discovery of Oxygen
From a Joseph Priestley, Experiments and Observations on Different Kinds of Air. 2nd ed. 1776 Vol 2, sec 3 [the Discovery of Oxygen]:
Link icon Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley, best known for his work as a chemist and for his discovery of oxygen, was born on March 13, 1773.