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You are here: Home / Science / Who Was Amedeo Avogadro and Why Is Avogadro Considered the Founder of Atomic Molecular Theory?

Who Was Amedeo Avogadro and Why Is Avogadro Considered the Founder of Atomic Molecular Theory?

April 23, 2020 by Karen Hill

There are many examples of a scientist’s theory being rejected in his lifetime despite its accuracy.

Sometimes, fellow scientists want to see a theory proven before they accept it.

Louis Pasteur constantly had to prove his theories to his fellow scientists. Often, believers in organized religion feel threatened by findings that oppose their beliefs.

Galileo and Charles Darwin were criticized for such “heretical” beliefs. Scientists can also feel threatened by contradictory findings, and they might dismiss a new truth rather than abandon an old idea.

This is what happened to the discoverer of the molecule.

Amedeo Avogadro was born in Turin, Italy, in 1776.

His father was a prominent lawyer and Avogadro planned to follow in his footsteps. By the time he was 20, Avogadro had earned his degree and was practicing law, but he had far more interest in mathematics and science.

Avogadro began private studies of both, and by 1809 he had learned enough to be appointed a professor of physics at Vercelli College.

Just two years later, Avogadro wrote a paper that explained many of the questions raised by John Dalton’s new findings.

Avogadro discovered the molecule, a group of atoms joined together that act like a single particle.

Like the work of Austrian botanist Gregor Mendel in genetics half a century later, Avogadro’s work would be ignored during his lifetime. He died in 1856, an unknown in the science world.

Avogadro inherited the title of count from his father at the age of 11, and is considered the founder of Atomic Molecular Theory.

Related Facts

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  • Who Was Italian Chemist Stanislao Cannizzaro and How Did Cannizzaro Contribute To Avogadro’s Molecular Theory?
  • What Is Avogadro’s Law and What Does the Word Molecule Mean In Latin?
  • How Many Molecules Are There In 22 Liters of Gas and Who Is Avogadro’s Law Named After?
  • Which Explorers First Explored the Continents of the World?
  • What Is a Quantum and Why Is Max Planck Considered the Founder of the Quantum Theory?

Filed Under: Science

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « What Are the Five Points of John Dalton’s Atomic Theory and How Did Dalton Discover Color Blindness?
Next Post: How Was John Dalton Wrong About Molecular Theory and When Was the Chemical Composition of Water Discovered? »

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