phlogiston

Supposed fire-like element contained within combustible substances and released during combustion, according to superseded scientific theories of the 17th and 18th centuries

Entitynon-existent substanceQ193353

Instance of: non-existent substance

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The phlogiston theory, a superseded scientific theory, postulated the existence of a fire-like element dubbed phlogiston contained within combustible bodies and released during combustion. The name comes from the Ancient Greek φλογιστόν phlogistón, from φλόξ phlóx (flame). The idea of a phlogistic substance was first proposed in 1669 by Johann Joachim Becher and later put together more formally in 1697 by Georg Ernst Stahl.

Overview

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27 statements · 15% with external sources · numbers in brackets are citations

Opposite of: oxygen
Different from: phlogiston theory
Studied by: history of chemistry
Discovered by: Johann Joachim Becher
Georg Ernst Stahl

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23 identifiers linking phlogiston across the web's reference databases

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15%

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Source last edited September 27, 2026. AIDB refreshes this page daily.

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AIDB. (2026). phlogiston (Q193353). Retrieved from https://aidb.si/e/phlogiston-Q193353