Question

What is berzelius hypothesis? Is it true?

Answer 1

Dear student,

It was Vitalism(hypothesis) but later contradiction proves it was a myth.
In detail

Berzelius stated in 1810 that living things work by some mysterious "vital force", a hypothesis called vitalism. Related to this, he proposed that compounds could be distinguished by whether they required any organisms in their manufacture (organic compounds) or whether they did not (inorganic compounds).

However, in 1828, Friedrich Wöhler accidentally obtained urea, an organic compound, by heating ammonium cyanate. Contrary to a widespread myth, it was not the end of this vitalist hypothesis, let alone vitalism in general. But in 1845, Adolph Wilhelm Hermann Kolbe prepared acetic acid from inorganic precursors, and in the 1850s, Marcellin Berthelot synthesized numerous organic compounds from inorganic precursors, providing abundant counterevidence.

The Fischer–Tropsch process for making hydrocarbons, the Miller–Urey experiment and other prebiotic-chemistry experiments, and biosynthesis pathways provide even more counterevidence.

Hope you understood

Enjoy Learning!!
Regards
​​​​​​​