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-sphere apparatus developed by Justus Liebig in 1830 simplified chemical elemental analysis and enabled research-based laboratory teaching. The instrument, also known as the potassium apparatus, soon became an international symbol of the chemical profession's self-image. Anyone interested in the workings and performance of the five-sphere apparatus should 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 .