Scheele, C. W.

Name:
Scheele, C. W.
Detailed information:
(1742–1786). One of the outstanding early chemical thinkers and experimenters, Scheele was a Swedish scientist who discovered a number of previously unknown substances, among which were tartaric acid, chlorine, manganese salts, arsine, and copper arsenite (Scheele's green). He also noted the oxidation states of various metals, observed the nature of oxygen two years before Priestley's discovery, and discovered the chemical action of light on silver compounds, thus laying the foundation of photochemistry and photography. Scheelite, or natural calcium tungstate, is named after him.