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Experiments and Observations on Different Kinds of Air by Joseph Priestley (1733 - 1804)

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In their own words

Joseph Priestley, FRS was an 18th-century English theologian, Dissenting clergyman, natural philosopher, chemist, educator, and political theorist who published over 150 works. In “Experiments and Observations on Different Kinds of Air,” he reviews experiments with gases. A common theme in this work is measuring the volumes of gases held in glass tubes, and their increase or decrease when exposed to other substances. He also tests the effects of gases on mice, plants and insects. Priestley demonstrated that fixed air (now known as CO2) can be produced from several reactions including alcoholic fermentation, combustion and a mixture of oil of vitriol and chalk (sulfuric acid and calcium oxide…

As heard by us

Based on 5 episodes we listened to · September 2026

A close reading of Joseph Priestley's gas experiments reveals scientific reasoning through measurements, provisional hypotheses, failed trials and revision.

"Experiments and Observations on Different Kinds of Air by Joseph Priestley (1733 - 1804)" presents Priestley's treatise as a section-by-section LibriVox reading.

Read our full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

A sprig of mint enters a jar of noxious air; your curiosity has found its lab.

Press play if you want

  • to hear how Joseph Priestley tests whether mint can make fouled air fit for breathing again
  • to follow the jars and water agitation closely enough to question his conclusions
Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Talks about

ScienceChemistry

Best episodes of Experiments and Observations on Different Kinds of Air by Joseph Priestley (1733 - 1804)

Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.

INTRODUCTION, Sect. 1, 2

A clear account of air, built from earlier findings, careful apparatus, and methodical proof.

It opens by tying the writer's own experiments to earlier discoveries about air, which gives the passage a clear sense of purpose before it moves into the details.

PART I, Sect. IV. Of Air infected with Animal Respiration, or Putrefaction, 1 of 2

A careful study of air as evidence, tested through breathing, putrefaction, water, and plants.

Priestley treats spoiled air as a practical problem, not a mystery: candles fail, animals cannot live in it, and the air has to be checked again and again.

PART I, Sect. IV. Of Air infected with Animal Respiration, or Putrefaction, 1 of 2

A careful inquiry into what spoils air, and what may restore it.

Priestley treats stale air as a problem to be tested, asking what happens when breath and decay leave it unfit for flame or life. The piece is strongest in its attention to method: mice, candles, water, smell, shrinking volume, and the slow comparison of spoiled samples until a…

PART I, Sect. IV. Of Air infected with Animal Respiration, or Putrefaction, 2 of 2

A close study of fouled air, plant growth, and repeated experimental testing.

Priestley follows fouled air through a set of plain but revealing trials, showing how respiration and putrefaction can be changed first with a sprig of mint and then by agitation with water.

Podcasts like Experiments and Observations on Different Kinds of Air by Joseph Priestley (1733 - 1804)

Episodes

  1. 1

    PART II, Sect. II. Of common Air diminished, and made noxious by various processes

    Hidden gem

    Joseph Priestley examines how candles, animal respiration, putrefaction, sulfur, metal calcination, charcoal, paint fumes, nitrous air, and electricity diminish common air and make it unfit for respiration.

    ·36m·2 clips
  2. 2

    PART I, Sect. IX. Of Marine Acid Air

    ·16m
  3. 3

    PART I, Sect. I. Of Fixed Air

    ·28m
  4. 4

    PART I, Sect. II. Of Air in which a Candle, or Brimstone, has burned out

    ·17m
  5. 5

    PART I, Sect. X. Miscellaneous Observations

    ·11m
  6. 6

    INTRODUCTION, Sect. 1, 2

    ·30m
  7. 7

    PART I, Sect. I. Of Fixed Air

    ·28m
  8. 8

    PART I, Sect. II. Of Air in which a Candle, or Brimstone, has burned out

    ·17m
  9. 9

    PART I, Sect. III. Of inflammable Air

    ·21m
  10. 10

    PART I, Sect. VI. Of Nitrous Air

    ·30m
  11. 11

    PART I, Sect. VII. Of Air infected with the fumes of burning Charcoal

    ·6m
  12. 12

    PREFACE

    ·22m
  13. 13

    PART II, Sect. I. Observations on Alkaline Air

    ·19m
  14. 14

    PART I, Sect. VIII. Of the effect of the calcination of Metals, and of the effluvia of Paint made with White-Lead and Oil, on Air

    ·15m
  15. 15

    PART I, Sect. V. Of Air in which a mixture of Brimstone and Filings of Iron has stood

    ·5m
  16. 16

    PART I, Sect. III. Of inflammable Air

    ·21m
  17. 17

    PART II,Sect. III. Of Nitrous Air

    ·36m
  18. 18

    PART II,Sect. IV. Of Marine Acid Air

    ·17m
  19. 19

    PART II,Sect. V. Of Inflammable Air

    ·8m
  20. 20

    PART II, Sect. VI. Of Fixed Air, Sect. VII. Miscellaneous Experiments

    ·13m
  21. 21

    PART II, Sect. VIII. Queries, Speculations, and Hints

    ·42m
  22. 22

    APPENDIX, Numbers I, II

    ·17m
  23. 23

    APPENDIX, Number III

    ·25m
  24. 24

    APPENDIX, Numbers IV, V, VI, VII

    ·20m
  25. 25

    PART I, Sect. X. Miscellaneous Observations

    ·11m
  26. 26

    PART I, Sect. VIII. Of the effect of the calcination of Metals, and of the effluvia of Paint made with White-Lead and Oil, on Air

    ·15m
  27. 27

    PART I, Sect. V. Of Air in which a mixture of Brimstone and Filings of Iron has stood

    ·5m
  28. 28

    PART I, Sect. VI. Of Nitrous Air

    ·30m
  29. 29

    PART I, Sect. VII. Of Air infected with the fumes of burning Charcoal

    ·6m
  30. 30

    PART I, Sect. IX. Of Marine Acid Air

    ·16m
  31. 31

    PREFACE

    ·22m
  32. 32

    PART II, Sect. I. Observations on Alkaline Air

    ·19m
  33. 33

    PART II, Sect. II. Of common Air diminished, and made noxious by various processes

    ·36m
  34. 34

    PART II,Sect. III. Of Nitrous Air

    ·36m
  35. 35

    PART II,Sect. IV. Of Marine Acid Air

    ·17m
  36. 36

    PART II,Sect. V. Of Inflammable Air

    ·8m
  37. 37

    PART II, Sect. VI. Of Fixed Air, Sect. VII. Miscellaneous Experiments

    ·13m
  38. 38

    PART II, Sect. VIII. Queries, Speculations, and Hints

    ·42m
  39. 39

    APPENDIX, Numbers I, II

    ·17m
  40. 40

    APPENDIX, Number III

    ·25m
  41. 41

    APPENDIX, Numbers IV, V, VI, VII

    ·20m
  42. 42

    PART I, Sect. IV. Of Air infected with Animal Respiration, or Putrefaction, 2 of 2

    Joseph Priestley describes experiments on air made noxious by animal respiration, testing the effect of mint plants on restoring air quality.

    ·24m
  43. 43

    INTRODUCTION, Sect. 1, 2

    Hidden gem

    Priestley starts with the facts about air that need to be in place first.

    ·30m·2 clips
  44. 44

    PART I, Sect. IV. Of Air infected with Animal Respiration, or Putrefaction, 2 of 2

    Hidden gem

    Priestley begins with air made noxious by dying mice.

    ·24m·1 clip
  45. 45

    PART I, Sect. IV. Of Air infected with Animal Respiration, or Putrefaction, 1 of 2

    Hidden gem

    Priestley begins with the plain fact that both flame and animals can only endure in a limited quantity of air.

    ·27m·2 clips
  46. 46

    PART I, Sect. IV. Of Air infected with Animal Respiration, or Putrefaction, 1 of 2

    Hidden gem

    Priestley begins with a plain comparison.

    ·27m·1 clip