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Certain strange views regarding elements have existed in different times. One such view involved the element Gold...
Gold has always attracted the attention of human beings. In fact, as civilizations progressed, gold started assuming increased importance as an object of trade and art.
Thus, some people - the Alchemists devoted their efforts to search for the ‘Philosopher’s Stone’ (Remember Harry Potter & the Philosopher’s Stone!!) - which could transform any other metal into Gold. Was this a notion about transmutation?
Along with the Philosopher’s Stone, health and medicine also gained importance during this time. Thus, another group - the Iatrochemists started looking for the ‘Elixir of Life’ (equivalent to ‘Amrut’) Such a search suggested that all matter is made up of mercury, sulphur and salt.
Note that many metals occur as sulphides in nature - and heating of sulphides gives sulphurous fumes and the liquid metals resemble mercury.
There were some elements known since the Biblical times, but they were not recognised as ‘elements.’ They were:
Seven Metals- Silver, Gold, Copper, Lead, Iron, Tin, Mercury
Two Non-Metals- Sulphur, Carbon
The first recorded element!
The first ‘recorded’ discovery of the element can be traced to Phosphorus, in the year 1669 by Henning Brandt.
You may be surprised to know that the trial and error efforts by iatrochemists and alchemists have led to the discovery of important Acids and Alkalis besides most of the Glassware that you use in the laboratory today!
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