Torbern Bergman

Infobox Scientist
name = Torbern Bergman
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caption = Torbern Olof Bergman (1735-1784)
birth_date = March 20, 1735
birth_place = Katrineberg, Sweden
death_date = July 8, 1784
death_place = Medevi, Sweden
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citizenship =
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field = Chemist and mineralogist
work_institutions = University of Uppsala
alma_mater = University of Uppsala
doctoral_advisor = Bengt Ferrner
doctoral_students = Johann Afzelius
known_for = Chemical affinity tables
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author_abbrev_zoo =
influences = Carl von Linné
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Torbern Olof Bergman (March 20, 1735 Katrineberg, Sweden, – July 8, 1784 Medevi, Sweden) was a Swedish chemist and mineralogist noted for his 1775 "Dissertation on Elective Attractions", containing the largest chemical affinity tables ever published. Bergman was the first chemist to use the A, B, C, etc., system of notation for chemical species.

He was the son of Barthold Bergman and Sara Hägg. Torbern gained his education at the University of Uppsala, and received a Ph.D. in 1758. He then lectured at the university in physics and mathematics before becoming a professor of chemistry. He remained at this position for the rest of his life.

Bergman greatly contributed to the advancement of quantitative analysis, and he developed a mineral classification scheme based on chemical characteristics and appearance. He is noted for his research on the chemistry of metals, especially bismuth and nickel.

In 1771, four years after Joseph Priestley first created artificially carbonated water, Bergman invented a process to make carbonated water from chalk by the action of sulfuric acid. Finally he is noted for his sponsorship of Carl Wilhelm Scheele, whom some deem to be Torbern's "greatest discovery".

In 1771, he married Margareta Catharina Trast.

Publications

*"A Dissertation on Elective Attractions", 1775.
*"Essays, Physical and Chemical", 1779–1781.
*"Physick Beskrifning Ofver Jordklotet", 1766.

Further reading

* Mostrom, Birgitta. (1957). "Torbern Bergman: a bibliography of his works." Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell. Includes over 300 items, including translations printed up to 1956.
* Schufle, J.A. (1985). "Torbern Bergman : a man before his time." Lawrence, Kan.: Coronado Press.
* cite encyclopedia
last = Smeaton
first = W.A.
title = Bergman, Torbern Olaf
encyclopedia = Dictionary of Scientific Biography
volume = 2
pages = 4-8
publisher = Charles Scribner's Sons
location = New York
date = 1970
isbn = 0684101149

External links

* [http://academic.emporia.edu/aberjame/histgeol/bergman/bergman.htm Torbern Bergman Biography] - by James S. Aber
*Bergman, Torbern (1735 - 1784). [http://www.scs.uiuc.edu/~mainzv/exhibit/bergman.htm Opuscula Physica et Chemica] . 6 vols. Uppsala, 1780.
* [http://www.scs.uiuc.edu/~mainzv/Web_Genealogy/Info/bergmanto.pdf Bergman's chemical genealogy]