Antoine Lavoisier is widely known as the father of modern chemistry. He was a French nobleman and chemist in the late 18th century, and his work laid the groundwork for modern chemical science. Lavoisier was instrumental in developing the law of conservation of mass, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction. He also helped to reform chemical nomenclature and identify and categorize elements. His groundbreaking work demystified many chemical processes and provided a systematic approach to chemistry, leading to its recognition as a legitimate science rather than mere alchemy.