Women In Their Element: Selected Women's Contributions To The Periodic System

by Annette Lykknes (Editor), Brigitte Van Tiggelen (Editor)

Overview

'The book is undeniably a work of scholarship with detailed research, substantial references and footnotes, and academics' characteristic dry and detached style. Most of the essays felt similar in tone despite the wide range of authors. The academic nature of the book means it isn't a casual read but it's accessible enough for non-scientists who want to gain insight in the history of women and science.'
Chemistry WorldThis year we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Mendeleev's first publication of the Periodic Table of Elements. This book offers an original viewpoint on the history of the Periodic Table: a collective volume with short illustrated papers on women and their contribution to the building and the understanding of the Periodic Table and of the elements themselves.Few existing texts deal with women's contributions to the Periodic Table. A book on women's work will help make historical women chemists more visible, as well as shed light on the multifaceted character of the work on the chemical elements and their periodic relationships. Stories of female input, the editors believe, will contribute to the understanding of the nature of science, of collaboration as opposed to the traditional depiction of the lone genius.While the discovery of elements will be a natural part of this collective work, the editors aim to go beyond discovery histories. Stories of women contributors to the chemistry of the elements will also include understanding the concept of element, identifying properties, developing analytical methods, mapping the radioactive series, finding applications of elements, and the participation of women as audiences when new elements were presented at lectures.As for the selection of women, the chapters include pre-periodic table contributions as well as recent discoveries, unknown stories as well as more famous ones. The main emphasis will be on work conducted in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Furthermore, the book includes elements from different groups in the periodic table, so as to represent a variety of chemical contexts.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789811206283
Publisher:	World Scientific Publishing Company, Incorporated
Publication date:	08/08/2019
Pages:	556
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.19(d)

Table of Contents

Foreword from the President of the European Chemical Society xi

Foreword from the Co-chair of the IYPT Management Committee xv

Preface and Acknowledgements xix

Introduction Annette Lykknes Brigitte Van Tiggelen 1

Part 1 Old and New Understandings of the Elements 55

Dorothea Juliana Wallich (1657-1725) and Her Contributions to the Chymical Knowledge about the Element Cobalt Alexander Kraft 57

Emilie Du Chatelet and the Nature of Fire: Dissertation sur la nature et la propagation du feu Brigitte Van Tiggelen 70

Madame Lavoisier's Diffusion and Defense of Oxygen Against Phlogiston: Her Translations of Richard Kirwan's Essays Patrice Bret Keilco Kawashima 85

Part 2 The Glory of Analytical Chemistry: The Elements Multiply 99

Elementary Chemistry: Mrs Jane Marcet and the Popularisation of Chemistry Peter E. Childs 101

Ordering the Platinum Metals - The Contribution of Julia V. Lermontova (1846/47-1919) Gisela Boeck 112

Women and Analytical Chemistry: Reflections on the Chemical Skill Needed for Investigating the Elements Anders Lundgren 124

Astrid Cleve Von Euler on Ytterbium and Selenium Kristina Espmark Christer Nordlund 134

From Miss Swallow's "Insoluble Residue" to the Discovery of Samarium and Gadolinium Joanne A. Charbonneau Richard E. Rice 145

Fluorine and the Research of Vicenta Arnal, María Del Carmen Brugger, and Trinidad Salinas Ignacio Suay-Matallana 158

Four Women Chemists Review the Elements Ian D. Rae 170

Part 3 New Fields and Instrumental Methods 183

Clara Haber, née Immerwahr: In and Out of her Element Bretislav Friedrich Dieter Hoffmann 185

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin and the Elemental Composition of Stars Matthew Shindell 201

Ida Noddack, the Eka-Manganeses and Nuclear Fission Brigitte Van Tiggelen 209

Erika Cremer and Ortho-/Parahydrogen Jeffrey Allan Johnson 225

The Importance of Carbon: The Work of Dame Kathleen Lonsdale FRS (1903-1971) Jennifer M. Wilson 237

Spying on Shy Elements: Yvette Cauchois and her Spectrograph Brigitte Van Tiggelen 246

Part 4 Clusters of Women in Radioactivity 257

Marie Sklodowska Curie - Polonium and Radium Xavier Roqué 259

Harriet Brooks: Radon, A "New Gas" from Radium Marelene Rayner-Canham Geoffrey Rayner-Canham 269

Dr Margaret Todd and the Introduction of the Term "Isotope" John A. Hudson 280

Stefanie Horovitz: A Crucial Role in the Discovery of Isotopes Marelene Rayner-Canham Geoffrey Rayner-Canham 290

Ellen Gleditsch and Research on Radium, Chlorine and Potassium Annette Lykknes 301

May Sybil Leslie and the Disintegration of her Element - Thorium Ian D. Rae 313

Lise Meitner and Protactinium Xavier Roqué 324

"She is in the Next Room": Elizabeth Róna and Polonium Maria Rentetzi 333

Marguerite Perey: The Discoverer of Francium Marelene Rayner-Canham Geoffrey Rayner-Canham 341

Berta Karlik and Traude Bernert: The Natural Occurring Astatine Isotopes 215, 216, and 218 Christian Forstner 350

Part 5 Manufacturing Elements: From Artificial Radioactivity to Big Science 359

Irène Joliot-Curie and the Discovery of "Artificial Radioactivity" Louis-Pascal Jacquemond 361

Isabella L. Karle and the Synthesis of Plutonium Chloride Ann E. Robinson 374

Chien-Shiung Wu and the Nuclear Poison Xenon-135 Ann E. Robinson 382

The Unsung Heroines of the Superheavy Elements Claire A. Murray Jessica A. F. Wade 390

Part 6 Instrumental Revolution and Interface Between Chemistry and Industry 403

Sonja Smith-Meyer Hoel - Chemical Engineer in the Ferrosilicon and Aluminium Industry in Norway Annette Lykknes 405

Toshiko Mayeda and the Isotopes of Oxygen Matthew Shindell 415

Mary Almond, Iron in Rocks and Continental Drift Sally Horrocks Tom Lean Paul Merchant 422

Barbara Bowen and the Ozone Hole Sally Horrocks Tom Lean Paul Merchant 432

Reatha Clark King, Starting Fires with Fluorine Mary Mark Ockerbloom 441

Part 7 Social Activism, Sisters in Arms 455

Cupcakes and Chemical Composition: Ida Freund's Legacy Donald L. Opitz 457

Alice Hamilton, Confronting the Dangers of Lead Mary Mark Ockerbloom 468

Gertrud Johanna Woker (1878-1968) and Tetraethyl Lead Gisela Boeck 478

Authors' Biographies 486

Elements Index 501

Name Index 505

General Index 519