Felice Fontana
Encyclopedia
Felice Fontana was an Italian
physicist
who discovered the water gas shift reaction
in 1780. He is also credited with launching modern toxicology
and investigating the human eye
.
, and studied Physical Education
and Physiology
in the University of Padua
.
In 1765 he moved again, this time for Pisa, where he taught Logic
at the University of Pisa
.
In 1766 he also taught Physics
, became court physicist, with the task of creating a museum of natural history and physics. The museum, then in Palazzo Pitti
in Florence, opened in 1775. It is in this period that he takes an interest in poisons and iris motions, among other things.
(opposing to, among others, the theory of Torbern Bergman
that it was acid in itself) and 1779-1780 sees his seminal research on curare
. In 1779 he offers the London Royal Society
two memories on chemistry: 'Experiments and observations on the inflammable air breathed by various animals', where he denied that flammable air was fit for breathing, in accordance with Joseph Priestley
, and 'Account of the airs extracted from different kinds of water; with thoughts on the salubrity of air at different places'.
thought, but the result of a combination of simple matter (solid in its natural state) with "heat matter" that drove apart molecules turning bodies into fluids and vapours. In the case of gases, that never became liquid in absence of heat, he considered the interference of another principle: the "flogisto
", principle of fluidity and flammability.
In 1792, he was elected a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
.
He died in Florence
.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
who discovered the water gas shift reaction
Water gas shift reaction
The water-gas shift reaction is a chemical reaction in which carbon monoxide reacts with water vapor to form carbon dioxide and hydrogen:The water-gas shift reaction is an important industrial reaction. It is often used in conjunction with steam reforming of methane or other hydrocarbons, which is...
in 1780. He is also credited with launching modern toxicology
Toxicology
Toxicology is a branch of biology, chemistry, and medicine concerned with the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms...
and investigating the human eye
Human eye
The human eye is an organ which reacts to light for several purposes. As a conscious sense organ, the eye allows vision. Rod and cone cells in the retina allow conscious light perception and vision including color differentiation and the perception of depth...
.
Early life
He was born at PomaroloPomarolo
Pomarolo is a comune in Trentino located around 15 km southwest of Trento in the northern Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The municipality of Pomarolo contains the subdivisions Chiusole and Savignano. Pomarolo borders the cities of Cimone, Aldeno, Villa Lagarina, Nomi,...
, and studied Physical Education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
and Physiology
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
in the University of Padua
University of Padua
The University of Padua is a premier Italian university located in the city of Padua, Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 as a school of law and was one of the most prominent universities in early modern Europe. It is among the earliest universities of the world and the second...
.
Teaching
In 1755 moved to Bologna.In 1765 he moved again, this time for Pisa, where he taught Logic
Logic
In philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science...
at the University of Pisa
University of Pisa
The University of Pisa , located in Pisa, Tuscany, is one of the oldest universities in Italy. It was formally founded on September 3, 1343 by an edict of Pope Clement VI, although there had been lectures on law in Pisa since the 11th century...
.
In 1766 he also taught Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, became court physicist, with the task of creating a museum of natural history and physics. The museum, then in Palazzo Pitti
Palazzo Pitti
The Palazzo Pitti , in English sometimes called the Pitti Palace, is a vast mainly Renaissance palace in Florence, Italy. It is situated on the south side of the River Arno, a short distance from the Ponte Vecchio...
in Florence, opened in 1775. It is in this period that he takes an interest in poisons and iris motions, among other things.
1775-80: Travels
From 1775 to 1780 he travelled through Europe. Already in 1775 he published a treaty, 'Ricerche fisiche sopra l'aria fissa', on Carbon dioxideCarbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
(opposing to, among others, the theory of Torbern Bergman
Torbern Bergman
Torbern Olof Bergman was a Swedish chemist and mineralogist noted for his 1775 Dissertation on Elective Attractions, containing the largest chemical affinity tables ever published...
that it was acid in itself) and 1779-1780 sees his seminal research on curare
Curare
Curare is a common name for various arrow poisons originating from South America. The three main types of curare are:* tubocurare...
. In 1779 he offers the London Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
two memories on chemistry: 'Experiments and observations on the inflammable air breathed by various animals', where he denied that flammable air was fit for breathing, in accordance with Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley, FRS was an 18th-century English theologian, Dissenting clergyman, natural philosopher, chemist, educator, and political theorist who published over 150 works...
, and 'Account of the airs extracted from different kinds of water; with thoughts on the salubrity of air at different places'.
General Principles of Solidity and Fluidity of Bodies
In 1783 he published Principi generali della solidità e della fluidità dé corpi, expounding a theory on material states of his own: he thought that matter was subject to two newtonian forces, an attractive and an expansive one. The latter, though, wasn't repulsive as NewtonIsaac Newton
Sir Isaac Newton PRS was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist, and theologian, who has been "considered by many to be the greatest and most influential scientist who ever lived."...
thought, but the result of a combination of simple matter (solid in its natural state) with "heat matter" that drove apart molecules turning bodies into fluids and vapours. In the case of gases, that never became liquid in absence of heat, he considered the interference of another principle: the "flogisto
Phlogiston theory
The phlogiston theory , first stated in 1667 by Johann Joachim Becher, is an obsolete scientific theory that postulated the existence of a fire-like element called "phlogiston", which was contained within combustible bodies and released during combustion...
", principle of fluidity and flammability.
In 1792, he was elected a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. The Academy is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization which acts to promote the sciences, primarily the natural sciences and mathematics.The Academy was founded on 2...
.
He died in Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
.