Who we are - what we do

tasks and goals

The Division of History of Chemistry is an association of people interested in the history of chemistry and part of the GDCh organization. The Division sees as its main tasks:

 

• to awaken an understanding of the historical view of chemistry
• to stimulate and promote chemical historical investigations
• to promote the study of the history of chemistry at universities
• To give suggestions and support for the use of historical topics in school lessons
• to inform about the history of chemistry
• to promote contacts and the exchange of experiences among the members and with foreign colleagues
• To support efforts to archive legacies relevant to the history of chemistry.

Description of the Divisions logo

The five-ball apparatus developed by Justus Liebig in 1830 simplified chemical elemental analysis and enabled research-based laboratory lessons. The instrument, also known as the potash apparatus, soon became the international symbol of the self-image of the chemical profession. For those interested in the mode of operation and performance of the five-ball apparatus, please refer to: Melvyn Usselman, Alan Rocke, Christina Reinhart, Kelly Foulser, "Restaging Liebig. A Study in the Replication of Experiments", Annals of Science 62 (2005), 1-55 .