Joseph Black

Joseph Black (1728 - 1799) was a Scottish physicist and chemist.

Black discovered carbon dioxide (which he called `fixed air´) in 1754. In 1756 he described how carbonates become more alkaline when they lose carbon dioxide, whereas the taking-up of carbon dioxide reconverts them.

In 1761 he discovered that ice absorbs heat without changing temperature when melting. From this he concluded that the heat must have combined with the ice particles and become latent.

In 1755 he discovered magnesium.

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