Alchemy to Chemistry

To create a universal solvent.

To discover new elements.

To turn ordinary metals into gold.

To develop new medicines.

Robert Boyle

Aristotle

Hennig Brand

Dmitri Mendeleev

Animal blood

Human urine

Plant extracts

Volcanic ash

Noble gases

Mineral acids

Alkaline earth metals

Halogens

Yes

No

Food preservation and textile manufacturing

Fertilizers, plastics, dyes, and explosives

Water purification and petroleum refining

Metal extraction and glass production

By mixing nitric acid with various metals.

Through the reaction of water and sulfur trioxide, evaporated from heated iron and copper sulfates.

By distilling plant extracts and mineral compounds.

By combining hydrogen and oxygen in a controlled environment.

All natural substances are inherently safe for human consumption.

The toxicity of a substance is determined solely by its chemical composition.

Whether a substance is poisonous depends on the dosage, with low doses potentially having medicinal benefits.

Only synthetic compounds can be considered truly poisonous.

Alchemists were too focused on creating gold, neglecting other areas of study.

The lack of standardized naming conventions and a formal peer-review process.

Their experiments were too dangerous to be replicated by others.

They relied too heavily on advanced mathematical calculations.