the classical elements..................

The classical elements are ancient concepts used to explain the nature of matter and the universe. Different cultures had their own versions of these fundamental elements, which were believed to form everything in existence.

1. Greek Classical Elements (Empedocles & Aristotle)
The most famous classical element system comes from ancient Greece:

Earth 🌍 – Solidity, stability, and strength.
Water 💧 – Fluidity, adaptability, and life.
Air 🌬️ – Movement, breath, and freedom.
Fire 🔥 – Energy, transformation, and destruction.
Aether (Quintessence) ✨ – (Added by Aristotle) Represented the divine, heavenly substance making up celestial bodies.

1. The Classical Elements

2. What are Things Made Of?

3. Chemistry studies matter and its composition Matter is composed of smaller materials Philosophers tried to explain the small units of matter What Are Things Made Of?

4. Used critical thinking Explained the origin of things Gave reasons for several phenomena Created foundations of knowledge that we have now Greek Philosophers

5. Thales WATER Anaximenes AIR Xenophanes EARTH Heraclitus FIRE Empedocles EARTH, AIR, WATER and FIRE Greek Philosophers

6. These two philosophers started atomism. Matter is made up of atomos and space (void). Democritus (460 BC–370 BC) Leucippus (5th century BCE)

7. The Prevailing Ideas During That Time: “Nature Elements” by Empedocles, Plato, and Aristotle Plato and his student Aristotle were believed by the people during those times. Their ideas prevailed for a long time.

8. Platonic Solids Plato founded the Academy in Athens and he used the term “element.” He treated the elements: air, water, fire and earth, as geometric solids.

9. Aristotelian Elements Each element is a balance between two qualities. He added a fifth element - aether. The fifth element is the finest of all substances known as quintessence.

10. The word alchemy can also be traced to the Arab word al-khemia which means ‘The Black Land.” Alchemy is considered more of a protoscience. It is not based on facts and experiments. It had been riddled with superstitions, mythology and mysticism. Alchemy

11. Philosopher’s stone - turns other metals to gold Elixir of life - gives eternal life Panacea - a cure for all diseases Alchemy wants to find:

12. Abu Musa Jabir Ibn Hayyan - sulfur and mercury are elements Paracelsus - tria prima for good health Robert Boyle - author of Skeptical Chymist and proposed Boyle’s Law Here are some notable Alchemists:

13. Atomism was one of the theories the ancient Greek natural philosophers devised to explain the universe. 1 Alchemy is a philosophy practiced throughout Egypt and Eurasia which aimed to purify and perfect materials through transmutation. Alchemy contributed to the vast uses of chemicals such as inks, paints, and cosmetics. 2 3

14. He is the Greek philosopher who proposed that everything is made up of primordial substances such as fire, water, earth and wind. It is a philosophy practiced throughout Egypt and Eurasia which aimed to purify and perfect materials through transmutation. He is a Persian alchemist who suggested that elements, mercury and sulfur should be added in the four classical elements. Identify what or who is being asked in the following statements.