La historia de la ciencia en los libros de texto : la(s) hipótesis de Avogadro

Abstract

This paper discusses some recent historical research on Amedeo Avogadro and xixth century chemical atomism. Main features of Avogadro’s achievements are analyzed by using excerpts from his famous publications. Moreover, xixth century methods for calculating atomic weights are studied as well as the role of Avogadro’s ideas for that matter. The conclusions sharply contrast with the historical image of Avogadro in current chemistry textbooks. Finally, we briefly consider the role of history in scientific textbooks.