How did Antoine Lavoisier’s oxygen theory replace the phlogiston theory?

Antoine Lavoisier replaced the phlogiston theory by demonstrating that combustion, calcination, and respiration are not caused by the release of a "fiery substance," but by the chemical interaction with oxygen.123

The phlogiston theory failed to account for the weight changes observed in chemical reactions, such as the fact that metallic calxes (oxides) weigh more than the original metal. Lavoisier hypothesized that these weight gains were due to the fixation of air rather than the loss of phlogiston.23

His breakthrough came after learning about the properties of a new "air" isolated by Joseph Priestley. By repeating and refining these experiments, Lavoisier identified this gas as oxygen, the "generator of acids," and proved it was essential to oxidation. Unlike his predecessors, Lavoisier emphasized rigorous quantification and measurement, which allowed him to provide an experimentally grounded explanation for these phenomena. By 1800, his theory—supported by a new chemical nomenclature—was widely accepted, effectively launching the chemical revolution.234