BERGMAN, berg,'mlin, TORBERN OLOF (1735 84). A Swedish chemist and mathematician. Ile was born at Katharinberg. He was sent to the University of Upsala, with a view to prosecute studies qualifying him either for the Church or the bar; but disliking both, he devoted himself to natural history, physics, and mathematics, and soon made some interesting discoveries in en tomology, and distinguished himself as an as tronomical observer. In 1758 he was made pro fessor of physics, and several years later, after publishing an excellent work on the manufacture of alum, professor of chemistry and mineralogy, at the University of Upsala. Bergman published a vast number of dissertations, a collection of which, in six volumes, appeared at Upsala in 1779-81, under the title Opuscula Torberni Berg wan, Physica, Chemiea, et Mineralia. His cele brated essay on Elc•tirc Attractions was trans lated into English by Dr. Beddoes. According to
Bergman's theory, substances have certain defi nite affinities for one another, which determine completely the course of all chemical transforma tions. Thus, let A be a substance capable of combining with either 11 or C, and let its affinity for the substance C be greater than its affinity for the substance B. Then, if brought in con tact with a mixture of B and C, A will combine with C alone. Again, if C be brought in contact with the compound AB formed by the union of A and II, decomposition of AB will take place; B will be set free and A will unite with C to form the compound AC. A quarter of a century later the French chemist Berthollet (q.v.) set forth the view now adopted universally that chemical transformations depend not only upon the affinities, but also upon the relative masses of the reacting substances.