2 Quotes & Sayings By Carl Wilhelm Scheele
Carl Wilhelm Scheele (or Scheele) was a German scientist born in Jena, Germany. He discovered oxygen in 1774 while trying to produce a chemical element with the chemical symbol 'z'. After studying medicine at the University of Jena, he became a physician in 1779. In 1786, his interest in chemistry led him to research the properties of certain gases produced by various processes
He discovered nitrogen, formed by burning charcoal in air, and oxygen, which he formed by heating mercuric oxide with charcoal. He published his findings in 1789 under the title Chemical Essays. For this discovery, he was given the Copley Medal in 1790.