Antoine Lavoisier

Antoine Lavoisier was a French scientist known as the father of modern chemistry. He was born in Paris in 1743. He discovered the role of oxygen in burning and breathing. He changed chemistry from guesswork into a real science.

Early Life

Lavoisier came from a wealthy family in Paris. He studied law at first but fell in love with science. He did careful experiments in his own lab. His wife Marie-Anne helped him with his research and drawings.

The Institute of France in Paris, where Lavoisier worked.
The Institute of France in Paris, where Lavoisier worked. (Guilhem Vellut from Paris, France / Wikimedia Commons)

Big Discoveries

Lavoisier proved that burning needs oxygen from the air. He showed that water is made of hydrogen and oxygen. He created a system for naming chemicals that we still use today. He also proved that matter cannot be created or destroyed.

Fun Facts

  • Lavoisier's wife translated scientific papers from English to help his research.
  • He worked as a tax collector to pay for his expensive experiments.
  • He was executed during the French Revolution in 1794.

Did You Know?

After Lavoisier was executed, a famous mathematician said it took only a moment to cut off his head, but France might not produce another like it in a hundred years.