In what year did Joseph Priestley discover oxygen?

In what year did Joseph Priestley discover oxygen?

• A. 1760
• B. 1774
• C. 1789
• D. 1800

Answer: (B)

Priestley’s important result came from heating mercuric oxide to release a gas that made a candle burn more vigorously and supported respiration, showing it was a distinct part of air. He published these findings in 1774, which is why that year is tied to his discovery. While Scheele had produced the same gas earlier, around 1772, his work wasn’t published until later, so Priestley’s 1774 report is the one most often credited for the discovery. Later, Lavoisier gave the gas the name oxygen and helped shift the view of air from a single substance to a mixture of gases.

Priestley’s important result came from heating mercuric oxide to release a gas that made a candle burn more vigorously and supported respiration, showing it was a distinct part of air. He published these findings in 1774, which is why that year is tied to his discovery. While Scheele had produced the same gas earlier, around 1772, his work wasn’t published until later, so Priestley’s 1774 report is the one most often credited for the discovery. Later, Lavoisier gave the gas the name oxygen and helped shift the view of air from a single substance to a mixture of gases.