Antoine Laurent Lavoisier

Antoine Laurent Lavoisier, sometimes referred to as Antoine Lavoisier after the French Revolution, was a French nobleman and chemist whose work is considered pivotal to the 18th century Chemical Revolution [Wikipedia]. Here's a summary of his key achievements:

• The Father of Modern Chemistry: Lavoisier's experiments and theories are considered foundational to modern chemistry.
• Discovered Oxygen: He is most famous for discovering oxygen, the element essential for combustion, and disproving the prevailing phlogiston theory [Britannica].
• Law of Conservation of Mass: He developed the Law of Conservation of Mass, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction, only transformed [Britannica].
• Named Elements: He named oxygen and other elements, and helped establish a modern system of chemical nomenclature [Science History Institute].

Lavoisier's contributions extended beyond the purely scientific. He was also a social reformer who believed science should benefit the public good. He conducted research to improve agriculture and gunpowder production [Wikipedia].

His life, however, ended tragically. During the French Revolution, he was accused of tax fraud and executed in 1794 [Wikipedia]. Despite this, his scientific legacy continues to inspire chemists today.