โš™๏ธ how

How did Dmitri Mendeleev predict missing elements?

ChemistryHistory of Science

Quick Answer

In 1869, Mendeleev left gaps in his periodic table when no known element fit a pattern. He predicted the properties of several undiscovered elements, including gallium and germanium.

The Full Story

Dmitri Mendeleev published his periodic table in 1869 and noticed that chemical properties repeated in a pattern. When no known element fit a spot, he left a gap rather than forcing the table to be complete. He predicted the masses and properties of elements such as eka-aluminum, later discovered as gallium in 1875, and eka-silicon, later discovered as germanium in 1886. Those successful predictions helped prove the power of the periodic law.

Key Facts

1.Mendeleevโ€™s table was published in 1869
2.Gallium was discovered in 1875
3.Germanium was discovered in 1886

YouTube Angle

Suggested video title for this topic:

"He predicted elements decades before anyone found them"