• Question: who invented the periodic table

    Asked by carbon to Carys, Chris, Jeremy, Katherine, Simone on 16 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Carys Cook

      Carys Cook answered on 15 Jun 2011:

      Hi carbon. I believe, that the first proper periodic table as we recognise it today was created by a Russian scientist called Dmitri Mendeleev, in the 1860’s. There are many different formats of the periodic table though – some of them are beautiful to look at! Check out this website for a great overview of different types! http://www.meta-synthesis.com/webbook/35_pt/pt_database.php

    • Photo: Katherine Jones

      Katherine Jones answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      As Carys says, Mendeleev first drew the periodic table as we see it now, but the unlucky guy who just missed out was called Julius Meyer – he invented a slightly different periodic table at the same time, but it never took off. One thing Mendeleev did that was clever was he reaslied that there were some elements that were not yet discovered, and he left gaps for them. This meant when they were discovered later they fit in nicely.

      One great thing about the periodic table is that it is still getting bigger all the time. Only a couple of weeks ago two more elements were added on: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13699575

    • Photo: Jeremy Green

      Jeremy Green answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      Just to add a little to Carys’ and Katherine’s answers, Dimitri Mendeleev was indeed the person who invented the periodic table by grouping the chemicals like-with-like. What he did not know is that the properties of the chemicals can be grouped like that because electrons around a nucleus like to be assembled into structures called “shells”. Elements that have a nearly-complete shell like to join up with others that have an electron or two to spare. That’s chemistry! Even though the table is nearly 150 years old it tells us about deep regularity in the quantum structure of matter.

Comments