The question "Who created oxygen?" is a bit misleading. Oxygen isn't "created" by humans; it's an element that exists naturally. It can be isolated and identified, which is what scientists did. However, if the question is referring to who isolated and identified oxygen, then the following is the answer.
It's important to distinguish between isolating an element and discovering it. Here’s a breakdown of those who contributed to our understanding of oxygen:
Key Individuals Involved in Oxygen Discovery
| Scientist | Contribution | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Sendivogius | Isolated oxygen prior to 1604, but his discovery was not widely recognized. | Before 1604 |
| Carl Wilhelm Scheele | Independently isolated oxygen and called it "fire air". | 1773 or earlier |
| Joseph Priestley | Independently isolated oxygen and called it "dephlogisticated air"; his work was published first. | 1774 |
Understanding the Discovery
- Michael Sendivogius: While not as widely known, Sendivogius isolated oxygen long before the other scientists on this list. His findings did not gain widespread acceptance or recognition in his time.
- Carl Wilhelm Scheele: Scheele independently produced oxygen in his laboratory, naming it "fire air." However, he did not publish his findings until after Priestley.
- Joseph Priestley: Priestley is often credited with the discovery of oxygen due to publishing his findings first. He called it "dephlogisticated air" and his observations provided an early understanding of its properties.
Why Priestley is Often Credited
While Scheele and Sendivogius may have isolated oxygen first, Priestley is generally given more recognition because of the following:
- Published Findings: Priestley's work on oxygen was published in 1775, preceding Scheele's publication.
- Impact on Science: Priestley's findings were readily accessible to the scientific community, leading to a better understanding of oxygen and its role in combustion.
Conclusion
While no one created oxygen, the identification and understanding of oxygen happened over the course of history by various people. Michael Sendivogius isolated oxygen before 1604, but it wasn't widely recognised. Carl Wilhelm Scheele also isolated it independently around 1773 or earlier and named it "fire air". Despite these earlier discoveries, Joseph Priestley is often given priority because he was the first to publish his findings of what he called "dephlogisticated air" in 1774. Therefore, while there is no single creator of oxygen, these are the key individuals who contributed to our understanding of it.
