Carl Friedrich Wenzel
Encyclopedia
Carl Friedrich Wenzel was a German chemist
and metallurgist
who determined the reaction rates of various chemicals, establishing, for example, that the amount of metal that dissolves in an acid
is proportional
to the concentration of acid in the solution
. Thus he was the first person to give the notion of equivalent weight
and to publish a table of equivalent weights of acids and bases. Later Richter
produced a larger table of equivalent weights.
Wenzel, whose first name is also spelled Karl, was born at Dresden
in 1740. Disliking his father's trade of bookbinding
, for which he was intended, he left home in 1755, and after taking lessons in surgery
and chemistry at Amsterdam
, became a ship's surgeon in the Dutch
service. In 1766, tired of sea-life, he went to study chemistry at Leipzig
, and afterwards devoted himself to metallurgy and assaying at his native place with much success.
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...
and metallurgist
Metallurgy
Metallurgy is a domain of materials science that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are called alloys. It is also the technology of metals: the way in which science is applied to their practical use...
who determined the reaction rates of various chemicals, establishing, for example, that the amount of metal that dissolves in an acid
Acid
An acid is a substance which reacts with a base. Commonly, acids can be identified as tasting sour, reacting with metals such as calcium, and bases like sodium carbonate. Aqueous acids have a pH of less than 7, where an acid of lower pH is typically stronger, and turn blue litmus paper red...
is proportional
Proportionality (mathematics)
In mathematics, two variable quantities are proportional if one of them is always the product of the other and a constant quantity, called the coefficient of proportionality or proportionality constant. In other words, are proportional if the ratio \tfrac yx is constant. We also say that one...
to the concentration of acid in the solution
Solution
In chemistry, a solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of only one phase. In such a mixture, a solute is dissolved in another substance, known as a solvent. The solvent does the dissolving.- Types of solutions :...
. Thus he was the first person to give the notion of equivalent weight
Equivalent weight
Equivalent weight is a term which has been used in several contexts in chemistry. In its most general usage, it is the mass of one equivalent, that is the mass of a given substance which will:...
and to publish a table of equivalent weights of acids and bases. Later Richter
Richter
Richter can refer to:* the Richter magnitude scale, a scale measuring the strength of earthquakes.* Richter , an electro-rock band from Buenos Aires, Argentina.-Richter as a surname:...
produced a larger table of equivalent weights.
Wenzel, whose first name is also spelled Karl, was born at Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
in 1740. Disliking his father's trade of bookbinding
Bookbinding
Bookbinding is the process of physically assembling a book from a number of folded or unfolded sheets of paper or other material. It usually involves attaching covers to the resulting text-block.-Origins of the book:...
, for which he was intended, he left home in 1755, and after taking lessons in surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
and chemistry at Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, became a ship's surgeon in the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
service. In 1766, tired of sea-life, he went to study chemistry at Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, and afterwards devoted himself to metallurgy and assaying at his native place with much success.