John Dalton and the London atomists: William and Bryan Higgins, William Austin, and new Daltonian doubts about the origin of the atomic theory
@article{Grossman2014JohnDA, title={John Dalton and the London atomists: William and Bryan Higgins, William Austin, and new Daltonian doubts about the origin of the atomic theory}, author={Mark I. Grossman}, journal={Notes and Records: the Royal Society Journal of the History of Science}, year={2014}, volume={68}, pages={339 - 356} }
Most historians have ruled out the possibility that John Dalton was influenced by the theories of atomists William and Bryan Higgins, as well as William Austin, in developing his first table of atomic weights on 6 September 1803. I review and evaluate the case to be made for the influence of each scientist on Dalton. Contrary to prevailing views, I raise new Daltonian doubts, especially for Bryan Higgins.
2 Citations
John Dalton and the origin of the atomic theory: reassessing the influence of Bryan Higgins
- BiologyThe British Journal for the History of Science
- 2017
Existing evidence related to the origin of the atomic theory is worthy of re-examination in light of Dalton's possible prior knowledge of Bryan's work, and a fresh look at his correspondence with chemist Thomas Charles Hope indicates that Dalton adopted a Higgins-like caloric model in 1803.
Through a Glass Darkly - Some Thoughts on Symmetry and Chemistry
- ChemistrySymmetry
- 2021
The different types of chiral molecule that have been identified since the first concept of the asymmetric carbon atom are introduced as is the notation used in various disciplines of chemistry to describe the relative or absolute configuration.
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