Claude François Geoffroy
Encyclopedia
Claude François Geoffroy (1729–1753) was a French
chemist
. He discovered the chemical element
bismuth
in 1753. Before this time, bismuth-containing minerals were frequently identified as either lead
or tin
ores.
He is known as Claude Geoffroy the Younger to distinguish him from his father Claude Joseph Geoffroy
(1685–1752), also a French chemist and apothecary, member of the académie des sciences.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
. He discovered the chemical element
Chemical element
A chemical element is a pure chemical substance consisting of one type of atom distinguished by its atomic number, which is the number of protons in its nucleus. Familiar examples of elements include carbon, oxygen, aluminum, iron, copper, gold, mercury, and lead.As of November 2011, 118 elements...
bismuth
Bismuth
Bismuth is a chemical element with symbol Bi and atomic number 83. Bismuth, a trivalent poor metal, chemically resembles arsenic and antimony. Elemental bismuth may occur naturally uncombined, although its sulfide and oxide form important commercial ores. The free element is 86% as dense as lead...
in 1753. Before this time, bismuth-containing minerals were frequently identified as either lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
or tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
ores.
He is known as Claude Geoffroy the Younger to distinguish him from his father Claude Joseph Geoffroy
Claude Joseph Geoffroy
Claude Joseph Geoffroy was the brother of Étienne François Geoffroy.Like his brother, he was an apothecary and chemist. Having a considerable knowledge of botany, he devoted himself especially to the study of the essential oils in plants....
(1685–1752), also a French chemist and apothecary, member of the académie des sciences.