Berzelius’s brilliant contributions to chemical science have been analyzed in a multitude of dissertations and articles over the years. The successes were great, but built upon hard trials of scientific visions. With his good judgment and solid knowledge, Berzelius came to occupy an outstanding position in society.
The legislator of chemistry
Jacob Berzelius’s scientific production encompassed the entire field of chemistry. A complete list is impossible to provide, but below are some of the more important ones:
- Groundbreaking contributions to animal chemistry
- Fundamental and meticulous experimental investigations
- The doctrine of definite proportions
- Symbol and nomenclature system (O = oxygen, C = carbon, etc.)
- New elements (cerium, selenium, silicon, zirconium, thorium)
- Clarity and accessibility in a critical authorship
- New and overarching concepts (catalysis, isomerism, etc.)
- Annual reports critically summarizing the past year’s progress in chemical science