Who Invented the Periodic Table?

The periodic table is a very significant set of scientific information that classifies the various properties of the different chemical elements. Specifically, it is widely used in chemistry, which is one of the most important academic disciplines. Its main purpose is to compare, systematize and classify the behaviors of chemical elements. Besides chemistry, it has a lot of role to play in other academic disciplines such as chemical engineering, biology as well as physics.

The Invention of the Periodic Table

Who invented the periodic table? In 1869, a Russian chemist named Dmitri Mendeleev invented this table to help show trends in the behavior of chemicals. According to many science historians, he has contributed a lot in other fields including geology, meteorology and hydrodynamics. Likewise, he also spent insurmountable amount of time studying different subjects under chemical technology such as fuels, petroleum as well as explosives. Add to that, he was credited for introducing the metric system to Russia.

Additional Facts and Other Interesting Information

As of July 2009, the total number of elements included here is 117, which is comprised of elements 1 to 116 and element 118. These elements are categorized into metals, metalloids and non-metals. The metals are further subdivided into various classes, namely alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, inner transition elements, transition elements and other metals. The alkali metals are francium, caesium, rubidium, potassium, sodium and lithium. Under the alkaline earth metals, you can find radium, barium, strontium, calcium, magnesium and beryllium.

The inner transition elements are divided into lanthanoids and actinoids. The first group is comprised of lutetium, ytterbium, thulium, erbium and holmium. Additionally, it also includes dysprosium, terbium, gadolinium, europium and samarium. Of course, do not count out the remaining elements under this category, which are promethium, neodymium, praseodymium, cerium and lanthanum. On the other hand, the actinoids category includes lawrencium, nobelium, mendelevium, fermium and einsteinium. The other elements classified under this are californium, berkelium, curium, americium and plutonium. The remaining actinoid elements are neptunium, uranium, protactinium, thorium and actinium.

In terms of transition elements, key examples include copper, nickel, cobalt, iron and manganese. Other elements that fall under this category are silver, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium and technetium. Under the same class, you can find gold, platinum, iridium, osmium and rhenium.

Under the metalloids, you can find chemical elements such as polonium, tellurium, antimony, arsenic and silicon. Under the non-metals, the elements are divided into noble gases, halogens and other non-metals. Examples of noble gases are radon, xenon, krypton, argon and helium. Furthermore, samples of halogen are astatine, iodine, bromine, chlorine and fluorine.