He used
a pump he developed and a glass jar to create a confined air space
for experiments. He noted that burning objects such as candles and
coal, when placed in the receiver of his air pump, went out after
a time although air was still present. He opined that animals were
dependent upon a fresh supply of air to live. He studied the
relationship between the volume, density, and pressure of gases.
He proved by experiment that the volume of a gas at a constant
temperature varies inversely to the pressure applied to the gas.
Since gas is compressible, he opined that gases must be composed
of discrete particles separated by void, and also that basic
physical properties were due to motions of particles, or atoms,
which was an ancient Greek conjecture. This cast doubt on the
theory that everything was composed from the four basic elements:
air, water, fire, and earth. Boyle's laboratory at Oxford was
denounced by the Oxford clergy as destroying religion. In 1679,
the steam pressure cooker was developed.
Robert Hooke, the son of a minister who died when he was thirteen,
helped Boyle build his air pump. He was a genius with innate
mechanical skill. He applied a spiral spring to regulate the
balance of watches. A lord financed him as a Gresham lecturer for
50 pounds a year. In 1666, he used a pendulum to measure the force
of gravity and showed that the center of gravity of the earth and
moon is a point describing an ellipse around the sun.
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