forbrændingsteori

Forbrændingsteori, also known as the phlogiston theory, was an early scientific explanation for combustion proposed by Johann Joachim Becher in the 17th century and developed by Georg Ernst Stahl. The theory posited that combustible materials contained a fire-like element called "phlogiston" (from the Greek word for "burning") which was released during burning. When a substance burned, it was believed to be losing its phlogiston. This explained why a flame eventually extinguished in a closed container; the air became saturated with phlogiston and could no longer accept more.

Phlogiston theory also attempted to explain other phenomena. For example, it was thought that the ash left after burning was the dephlogistonated residue of the original material. The rusting of metals was also interpreted as a slow form of combustion, where the metal released its phlogiston.

Despite its widespread acceptance for over a century, Forbrændingsteori faced challenges. Antoine Lavoisier, through careful experiments in the late 18th century, demonstrated that combustion was actually a process of combination with a gas in the air, which he named oxygen. He showed that the mass of the products of combustion was greater than the mass of the original fuel, contradicting the idea of phlogiston being released. Lavoisier's work on oxygen and his concept of conservation of mass ultimately led to the demise of the phlogiston theory and the foundation of modern chemistry.