Robert Boyle: biography and contributions of this researcher.

A summary of the life of Robert Boyle, one of the pioneers of Physics and Chemistry.

Robert Boyle was a philosopher, chemist, physicist and inventor.He was a philosopher, chemist, physicist and inventor, also noted for his study of religion (he was a Christian theologian).

He was especially interested in experimental science, focusing first on the study of gases, which allowed him to develop his well-known Boyle's Law or Boyle-Mariotte Law, which establishes an inverse relationship between the volume occupied by the gas and its pressure, considering constant temperature.

Such was his passion for research and invention that he made a list with the possible inventions he foresaw in the future; likewise, when he saw that his health was weakening, he left several chemical researches prepared or thought of with the purpose that his followers would carry them out.

In this biography of Robert Boyle we will see the most remarkable events and facts of the life of this researcher, emphasizing the contributions and contributions he made to science.

Brief biography of Robert Boyle

Robert Boyle was born on January 25, 1627 in Waterford, Ireland.. He was fortunate to be born into a noble family, thus living in a privileged situation. He was the fourteenth son (in total there were fifteen) of Richard Boyle, who was Earl of Cork and was linked to politics, industry and administration, and Catherine Fenton, also of aristocratic descent and who was the second wife of the Earl. As a result, Robert Boyle spent part of his childhood at Lismore Castle.

Childhood years

The economic facilities and the high status of the family allowed Boyle to receive a good education and training from an early age; thus, he studied Greek, French and Latin.

At the age of eight, after losing his mother, he entered Elton School, a boarding school for boys only.a boarding school for boys only. With the purpose of continuing his education and given the privileged situation he was living in, at the age of fifteen he was able to live in Genoa for two years accompanied by a French tutor. In this way, he had the opportunity to get to know Italy better and to study the theories and contributions of Galileo Galilei, a multifaceted author very outstanding in the field of science.

Return to England and years of youth

After his departure for Italy in 1641 he finally returned to England in 1644; on his arrival he was given the will of his father, who had died the previous year during the period he was living in Italy.

Of the various properties he acquired, it was at the house in Dorset, England, that he decided to build himself a laboratory.. It was at that moment when he decided that he would choose scientific research as a field of study, surely influenced by the training he received during his trip and the knowledge of Galileo Galilei's theories.

Boyle joined a group of researchers that he called the "Invisible College", made up of philosophers, philosophers, philosophers and scientists.formed by philosophers with a scientific bent, whose main objective was to acquire knowledge through experimental research. Likewise, this group of "modern philosophers" held regular meetings in the city of London, both at Gresham College and Oxford.

During his time at Oxford he was a Cavalier, a group formed by those who were followers and supporters of King Charles I during the period of the English Civil War.Although not much is known about Boyle's role in this group, since the opposition forces during his participation were effective, which meant that the Cavaliers had to act as secretly as possible.

Consolidation of his professional life

In 1652, after coming and going from Ireland, Boyle decided to settle permanently on one of his estates, but his stay was short, lasting only two years. In 1654 he returned to England, as he considered that Ireland was not ready to continue with his scientific research.He considered that at that time he could not obtain new chemical instruments, nor did his people have the capacity to understand his research or advances.

On his return to London, specifically to Oxford, he rented several rooms in the Cross Hall area.

Thus between 1656 and 1668, he was able to assist Robert Hooke, considered one of the most important experimental researchers in history, in his work on perfecting the pump.Hooke, in his work perfecting the air pump created by Otto von Guericke.

It was in 1659 when he would present the "Boylean machine" or also known as "pneumatic engine", thus beginning a period of study of the physical properties of air and its role in the processes of respiration, sound transmission and combustion.

In this way, with the results obtained in his experiments on air, he was able to write and publish a book in 1660 entitled "New physical-mechanical experiments on the elasticity of air and its effects", presenting in the second edition of this book his famous and recognized law named in Europe as Boyle-Mariotte's Law. his famous and recognized law named in Europe as Boyle-Mariotte's Law, as Edme MariotteThis law is known in Europe as the Boyle-Mariotte Law, since Edme Mariotte also discovered this law independently of Boyle. This law states that at constant temperature the volume occupied by a gas is inversely proportional to its pressure, i.e., the more volume occupied the less pressure and vice versa.

Currently this law is still known, but it has been added that for this to be fulfilled it would be necessary a theoretical ideal behavior of the gas.

The following year, in 1661, presented his second work with the title "The Skeptical Chemist", which would thus mean the establishment of chemistry as a science.. The content of this work is important and outstanding for criticizing Aristotle's theory of the 4 elements that combined to form matter: water, earth, fire and air, and the three principles of Paracelsus, who said that every being is formed by salt, mercury and sulfur.

On the contrary, Boyle believed that matter was formed from the combination of fundamental particles, a concept he himself proposed.a concept that he himself proposed. This theory was premonitory and was not misguided, since 100 years later Antonie Lavoisier and John Dalton, through the discoveries they made, were able to affirm it, thus giving rise to the beginning of modern chemistry.

In 1663 the group of philosophers, which as we have already said he baptized as the Invisible College, became what we know today as the Royal Society of London, considered the oldest scientific society in the United Kingdom and one of the oldest in Europe. It was the King of England himself, Charles II, who chose Boyle as a member of the council, giving him in 1680 the honor of being president of the Royal Society, although on this occasion he did not accept, preferring to remain focused on his work and research. although on this occasion he did not accept as he preferred to remain focused on his work and research.

Boyle's foresight or visionary ability has also been reflected in a list of inventions he made, citing for example "the art of flying", "a practical and accurate way of determining lengths", "perpetual light" or "drugs to appease Pain and awaken the memory", among others. We can see how most of these inventions or discoveries could be carried out later.

As we have seen, his great interest in experimental science also led him to embark on other studies such as the calcination of different metals, which consists of heating them to very high temperatures so that thermal decomposition or change of physical or chemical state takes place, or such as the distinction between alkaline and acidic substancesThis would allow the constitution of chemical indicators, which have the ability to indicate whether a substance is an acid or a weak base.

His last years in London

In 1668 he moved to London to live with his sister Lady Ranelagh with whom he remained until her death, only a week before his own. In 1689 his state of health began to become increasingly weak and delicate, a fact that led him to decide to withdraw more and more from public life, thus not being so involved in the Royal Society and being able to focus on leaving prepared or thought some chemical research as a legacy for his followers.

His health did not improve, and on December 31, 1691 he died of paralysis. He is buried in the cemetery of the Anglican church St Martin-in-the-Fields, the burial mass was performed by Bishop Gilbert Burnet, a friend of the deceased.

Given his belief in the Christian faith, he left written in his will that part of his money was destined to translate and publish the Gospels in Gaelic and Turkish, with the purpose of evangelizing, that is to say, to make known and spread Christianity. In the same way, established an annual conference for the purpose of supporting and defending Christianity; these took place every year until the end of the 20th century.These conferences were held every year until the end of the 20th century.

Currently, since 2004, these conferences have been held again in London at St Mary-le-Bow church, with the participation of a theologian or scientist with the aim of raising and discussing issues related to Christianity and the current understanding of the natural world.