Skeptical Chemist: The Story of Robert Boyle

Profiles in Science

by Roberta Baxter

A young adult biography of chemistry pioneer Robert Boyle

Genres: Biography, Science

144 pages, Library Binding

First published November 30, 2006

Reviews

[Marta E.s.]

Skeptical Chemist The Story of Robert Boygle by Roberta Baxter, is the biography of Robert Boyle. He was born the 25th of January, 1627 at Lismore Castle in Ireland. His father gave all of his children, even the girls, a good education. He was the youngest of his siblings and was usually spared from the grooming his father did to his older brothers. He was encouraged to leave the house by his father, when he went to England to study in Eton College. when he left college,he went to promptly visit his father. He left with Francis to embark in a tour through continental Europe. Before the two brothers left, Robert was arranged a marriage with Elizabeth Killigrew. When Robert and Francis arrived at Marseille, they received a message from their father to hurry back home. That message contained money that unfortunately was stolen by a messenger. Robert and Francis managed to put together enough money for Francis to return home. Heartless and poor, his father Richard died in 1643. One year later, Robert returns to England and finds his sister Katherine who was older than he was by 12 years. He started to experiment in Stanbridge, one of his father’s estates that Robert took over. He establishes a laboratory in Oxford and hires as his assistant, Robert Hooke. He created a vacuum in his laboratory while experimenting with an air pump. He proved that as water freezes, it expands and invents the litmus test which is used to identify acids and bases. One fifth of the population was killed by the plague. The Great Fire of London was the cause of the destruction of most of the city. His health gets worse, so he decides to go live with his sister. He suffers a stroke but was one of the only people at that time who survived a stroke. He invents the match while experimenting with phosphorus and combustion. Robert always thought that his sister would outlive him, even though she was twelve years older than he was. He was devastated when his sister died, and eight days later, Robert died in his sleep the 31st of December, 1691. This book taught me about the invention of a vacuum, how the match was created, and that Robert Boyle was one of the only people of that time to survive a stroke.

This book talks about the invention of a vacuum and the matchsticks which were created while experimenting.This content falls under physical science for this book talks about chemistry and a chemist, Robert Boyle.The information in this book can’t really help me with my Science Fair for it has nothing to do with solar ovens or the use of solar energy. There is no information that regards my question, but there is about how to design an experiment. Robert Boyle conducted his experiments with great care and lots of preparation and security.

I would recommend this book to those who like chemistry and biographies about chemists. This book is short and doesn't get out of topic. This is the perfect book to make a project about if it is about a chemist. Robert Boyle had an interesting life. I would recommend this book to Middle School students for it has hard for Lower School and is too easy for High School. This book is full of knowledge and is fun to read.

[Private Account · Rating 5 out of 5]

My nine-year-old and I both really enjoyed this book. Awesome way to turn science into a story.

[Andrea M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading a biography about a scientist is a really interesting way to study science. It allows the reader to slow down and see how science is a body of knowledge that was collected drop by drop. This book discusses all the interesting things Boyle was thinking about and how he tested his theories. My kids were very interested in his experiments as they were discussed in the book. Boyle had a glass tube with a valve whereby he was able to pump all the oxygen out of the tube and increase the atmospheric pressure. He lived in a day when they didn't even know what air was made of so they put things like a flame and a living animal in the tube and then were surprised when the flame went out and the animal died after the same amount of time had elapsed. His friends were constantly discussing the results of his experiments and asking to see him demonstrate them again. Eventually, their discoveries led to the formulation of Boyle's Law which states roughly that the pressure and volume of a confined gas are inversely proportional when the temperature is constant.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Somewhat decent, tolerable overview of the life of Robert Boyle.