John Dalton's Biography and Contribution to Science

John Dalton was born in September 5,1766 in Eaglesfield in Cumberland, England. Dalton and his family lived in a small country house. His family had been Quakers since 1690. Quakers where members of a society of friends. John had a brother named Mary and A brother named Charles, when he was born his brother was twelve years old and his sister was two years old. Dalton’s birth was not recorded, so when he grew up older he asked one of his relatives and got and answer which was his birthday.

His parents were honest people and good workers. His dad Joseph had land he had inherited were Dalton and his brother Charles help out with the crop. His mother Deborah Greenup homespun textile Dalton’s sister help her too. John Dalton’s family were poor but “although they were never hungry they were poor”

Dalton was lucky he was a Quaker, other boys received little or no education, but as Quakers Dalton received a fair education at the closest Quaker school.

For Dalton it was an achievement going to school since in those times only one out of two-hundred and fifteen people could read. John Dalton went to the Quaker school at Pardshow Hall. Dalton was quick when it came to studies and in mathematical problems he was good and seem to be tireless of them. John Fletcher was Dalton’s teacher, he was a smart man who didn’t use a rod to hammer in learning to Dalton, he was to provide Dalton with a excellent back-round and lifelong quest for knowledge.

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Then came Elihu Robinson a rich Quaker gentlemen, who become Dalton’s mentor, and was another person to lead Dalton to mathematics , science, and specially meteorology. John Dalton had an intense fascination for meteorology he even in fact kept careful daily weather records for forty six straight years.

When Dalton was twelve he opened his school in Eaglesfield. He was smaller than some boys so he was threatened by the older boys who wanted to fight with the young teacher. He managed to control the kids for two years, but eventually due to poor salary Dalton return to work the land for his rich uncle. In 1785 Dalton and his brother opened another school this time at Kendall where Dalton had recently moved in. The school offered English, Latin, Greek, French, along with twenty one mathematics and science subjects. Although they were sixty students attending, Dalton and Charles had to borrow money and take outside jobs to support themselves.

John Dalton was very smart, but he was poor, unorganized and he was colorblind. In France this condition was known as Daltonism. Being colorblind was terrible for a chemist, but in spite of this disadvantages he helped contribute to science. Once on his mom’s birthday, he bought his mom some very special stockings. He taught they were blue and asked his brother to verify if it were really blue, that’s when Dalton found out him and his brother were both colorblind. Dalton studied the condition from which himself suffer colorblindness. And he did a paper in it which, brought more attention than then his first book published when presented to the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society. His paper was the earliest description of the phenomenon of vision.

John Dalton later met another man named Gough who was his new mentor. He was the son of a wealthy tradesman, and was blind. He taught Dalton languages, mathematics, and optics. Dalton dedicated to Gough two of his earliest published books to Gough who had encourage his lifelong interest in meteorology, Gough was the one that told Dalton to keep a daily journal, and he would for forty six straight years. Through his observations Dalton was the first to prove the validity of the concept that rain is precipitated by a decrease in temperature, not by a change in atmospheric pressure.

In 1787 Dalton began to try to get more money by selling his eleven volume classified botanical collections and giving public lectures. His studying were to prepare him for medical school, but because of lacked of money, his family discourage him and did not feel he was suited for a physician. In 1793 Dalton moved to Manchester to tutor at New College. He joined the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society. It was there at New College in Manchester were Dalton published his first book in 1793, entitled Meteorological Observation and Essays.

In his first book he said that each gas exists and its independently and purely physically, rather than chemically. However his first published attracted little attention. Dalton’s most important contribution to science, was his atomic theory that “matter is composed of atoms differing weights and combine in simple ratios by weight”. In 1808 Dalton published a third book entitled A New System of Chemical Philosophy. In this book he listed the atomic weights of a number of known elements related to the weight of hydrogen, although his weight were not precisely accurate they did in fact form the basis for the modern periodic table of the elements. Dalton came to this atomic theory by studying the physical properties of atmospheric air and other gases. While in the quest he discovered the law of partial pressures of mixed gases which became known as Dalton’s Law. Dalton’s Law stated that the total pressure put out by a mixture of gases would pout out if it alone occupied the whole volume. Dalton’s law applies only to ideal gases. But it might hold closely enough for real gases. For example, I f water was put into a closed container of dry air, some water will evaporate, and the pressure inside the container will increase by an amount approximately equal to the partial pressure of the water vapor.

In 1804 and 1809 Dalton was invited to teach courses n The Royal Institution in London. In 1822 he was made a fellow of the Royal Society and was awarded the society’s gold medal in 1826. Here are some laws of importance. First- matter is made of atoms. Second- atoms are indiscrutable, which means that in chemical reactions the atoms rearrange but they never break apart. Third- atoms of an element are identical. Fourth- Atom of different elements are different. Fifth-Say’s feel he was suited for a physician. In 1793 Dalton moved to Manchester to tutor at New College. He joined the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society. It was there at New College in Manchester were Dalton published his first book in 1793, entitled Meteorological Observation and Essays.

In his first book he said that each gas exists and its independently and purely physically, rather than chemically. However his first published attracted little attention. Dalton’s most important contribution to science, was his atomic theory that “matter is composed of atoms differing weights and combine in simple ratios by weight”. In 1808 Dalton published a third book entitled A New System of Chemical Philosophy. In this book he listed the atomic weights of a number of known elements related to the weight of hydrogen, although his weight were not precisely accurate they did in fact form the basis for the modern periodic table of the elements. Dalton came to this atomic theory by studying the physical properties of atmospheric air and other gases. While in the quest he discovered the law of partial pressures of mixed gases which became known as Dalton’s Law. Dalton’s Law stated that the total pressure put out by a mixture of gases would pout out if it alone occupied the whole volume. Dalton’s law applies only to ideal gases. But it might hold closely enough for real gases. For example, I f water was put into a closed container of dry air, some water will evaporate, and the pressure inside the container will increase by an amount approximately equal to the partial pressure of the water vapor.

In 1804 and 1809 Dalton was invited to teach courses n The Royal Institution in London. In 1822 he was made a fellow of the Royal Society and was awarded the society’s gold medal in 1826. Here are some laws of importance. First- matter is made of atoms. Second- atoms are indiscrutable, which means that in chemical reactions the atoms rearrange but they never break apart. Third- atoms of an element are identical. Fourth- Atom of different elements are different. Fifth-Say’s theory that has become a foundation of modern chemistry. All his life he learn and never quit, and wanted others to learn too as well so he considered himself a teacher and earned his living by teaching and lecturing others until 1833, when he was given an annual civil pension. Today units of atomic mass are often referred to as Dalton’s on honor of John Dalton. His analytical apparatus could be called the world’s first mass spectrometer. Dalton would always be remembered for his contributions to science.