Final answer:
Alchemy, the study of turning base metals into gold, is the precursor to modern chemistry. As alchemy faded, chemistry rose, focusing on the systematic study of composition and properties of matter as well as chemical reactions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The practice of alchemy is often considered the precursor to the modern science of chemistry. Alchemy was historically the study of turning base metals into noble metals, such as turning lead into gold, for financial gain and the pursuit of the philosopher's stone. Over centuries, as alchemists experimented and made discoveries, they often kept their findings secret, which was typical for the period. With the end of the Middle Ages and the rise of the scientific method, alchemy gave way to chemistry. The focus shifted from attempted transmutation and secrecy to the systematic study of chemical reactions, matter, and its properties. Pioneering scientists like John Dalton and Amedeo Avogadro contributed significantly to chemistry, with Dalton establishing the concept of atoms having specific mass ratios in reactions and Avogadro introducing the idea of a mole and Avogadro's number.
As chemistry evolved, it expanded into multiple branches, including inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry. Today, a contemporary chemist has a broad knowledge of all these areas and the wide applications of chemistry in medicine, industry, and environmental science. Therefore, alchemy, with its goals such as turning lead into gold, laid down the foundations for the science of chemistry, which now deals with understanding the composition, structure, properties and transformations of all matter.