Meaning of dephlogisticated air | Babel Free

Definitions

oxygen gas, as originally thought to be air deprived of phlogiston (“the hypothetical fiery principle formerly assumed to be a necessary constituent of combustible bodies and to be given up by them in burning”).

historical, uncountable

Examples

“[page 387] As I think⟳ I have⟳ that ſufficiently proved, the fitneſs of air for reſpiration depends on its capacity to receive⟳ the phlogiſton exhaled from the lungs, this ſpecies may not improperly be called, dephlogiſticated air. […] [page 392] Upon the whole, I think⟳, it may ſafely be concluded, that the pureſt air is that vvhich contains the leaſt phlogiſton: […] and that there is a regular gradation from dephlogiſticated air, through common air, and phlogiſticated air, down to nitrous air; […]”

“[Joseph] Priestley's experiments were performed at intervals from August 1774 till March⟳ 1775, and at that date⟳ it occurred to him to mix⟳ with his dephlogisticated air some nitric oxide over water; absorption took place⟳, and he concluded that he might assume⟳ his new air to be respirable.”

“[Joseph] Priestley never swayed from his firm conviction in the phlogiston theory as long as he lived, and he called his new gas ‘dephlogisticated air’.”

CEFR level