| Element | Discoverer |
|---|---|
| Argon | Sir William Ramsay and Lord Rayleigh |
| Neon | Sir William Ramsay and M.W. Tavers |
| Krypton | Sir William Ramsay and M.W. Tavers |
| Xenon | Sir William Ramsay and M.W. Tavers |
| Radon | Sir William Ramsay and R. Whytlaw-Gray |
| Helium | Sir William Ramsay, P.T.Cleve and N.Langlet |
| Element | Discoverer |
|---|---|
| Polonium | Marie Curie |
| Radium | Marie Curie and Pierre Curie |
| Actinium | Andre Louis Debierne |
| Thorium | Jons Jacob Berzelius |
| Uranium | Martin Heinrich Klaproth |
| Plutonium | Glenn T. Seaborg, Edwin McMillan, Joseph W. Kennedy, and Arthur Wahl |
| Gas | Discoverer |
|---|---|
| Hydrogen | Henry Cavendish |
| Oxygen* | Joseph Priestley |
| Nitrogen | Daniel Rutherford |
| Flourine | Henri Moissan |
| Chlorine | Carl Wilhem Scheele (Sir Humphry Davy recognized the gas as an element in 1810 and named it.) |
| *Carl Wilhelm Scheele observed the gas produced by heating certain compounds and identified its unique properties in 1772. Joseph Priestley first published his findings in 1774. In addition, the French chemist Antoine Lavoisier recognized its importance in combustion reactions and proposed the name "oxygen" for the element. Thus, different sources give credit to different persons. | |
| Gas | Discoverer |
|---|---|
| Carbon dioxide | Joseph Black |
| Methane | Alessandro Volta |
| Nitrous oxide | Joseph Priestley |
| Hydrogen sulfide | Carl Wilhem Scheele |
| Chemical Element | Discoverer |
|---|---|
| Barium | Humphry Davy |
| Calcium | Humphry Davy |
| Potassium | Humphry Davy |
| Magnesium | Humphry Davy |
| Boron | Humphry Davy |
| Sodium | Humphry Davy |
Sir Humphry Davy, a chemist bright,
Invented a lamp that shone so light,
The miners rejoiced, the darkness gone,
Safe from the methane they toiled on,
His contributions to science will forever live on.
Sir Humphry Davy is well-known for the invention of a safety lamp for use in flammable atmosphere. It was created for use in coal mines, to reduce the danger of explosions due to the presence of methane and other flammable gases.