How did Antoine Lavoisier begin classifying chemical elements?

Antoine-Laurent Lavoisier classified chemical elements by applying a rigorous, operational definition: he defined an element as any substance that could not be further reduced or decomposed into simpler components through any known chemical reaction.1

Building upon the work of Robert Boyle, Lavoisier established his list of elements in 1789 through meticulous, quantitative analysis of decomposition and recombination experiments. By tracking the weights of all substances entering and emerging from these reactions with extreme precision, he was able to distinguish between true elements and more complex compounds.21

While his methodology was revolutionary, his classification still reflected some historical influences; for instance, he included light and heat (caloric) as elements. Additionally, because he could not decompose certain stable substances with the technology available at the time, he incorrectly categorized materials like lime, alumina, and silica as elements. Despite these limitations, his work provided the foundation for modern chemical classification and nomenclature.231