The Chemist John Dalton

In chemistry there are many renowned scientists. One of the more well-known scientists is John Dalton. He revolutionized the way we view chemistry through his observations and theories. He had many theories that still affect us in the present day. One that stands out in particular is his atomic theory. Without all of his contributions our modern world could not thrive like it is currently.

John Dalton from a very young age was intelligent. Born in 1766 Cumberland, England he grew up with his family who were all tradesmen. When he was twelve years old he started as a teacher’s assistant at a Quaker school. He continued that role until he was fourteen. At fourteen Dalton went to a farm for a year. He later returned to the Quaker school and became an official teacher. For two years he worked at that school until he was promoted and became the principal. He taught as a public lecturer until 1793 when he moved to Manchester. Later he was invited to join the Philosophical Society and the Manchester Literary [“John Dalton Biography.”]. He joined and his membership granted him access to the laboratory. Dalton was a self-taught experimenter. He used the laboratory to initially study meteorology, which is the study of the atmosphere.

By one of his closest peers, John Daniell, Dalton was called the “Father of Meteorology” this is because he had a large influence over meteorology. While he was a teacher at his Quaker school Dalton learned a lot about meteorology mainly through two of his fellow acquaintances, Elihu Robison and John Gough [“John Dalton.” Encyclopedia]. They influenced him to pursue his studies in meteorology. Through their influence Dalton kept records of his own atmospheric observation until the day he died. He ended up with ...

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...h Dalton’s theories and his laws on chemistry they still enormously affect us today. He was and still is a very important person. He received an honorary degree from the University of Oxford. He was also elected into the Royal Society of London and of Edinburgh. He was very well known when he was alive. After his passing, over 40,000 people showed up to his funeral. His contributions to science were so important that without them we would not be technologically where we are today.

Works Cited

“Dalton, John (1766-1844)”. Wolfram Research. 2007. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.

“John Dalton Biography”. Bio. 2014. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.

“John Dalton”. Chemical Heritage Foundation. 2010. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.

“John Dalton”. Chemistry MTU. Michigan Technological University. 30 Oct. 1997. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.

“John Dalton”. Encyclopedia Britannica. 2014. Web. 14 Apr. 2014.