When was the periodic table first used to predict a missing element that was later discovered as gallium?
Quick Answer
Mendeleev made the prediction in 1871, and gallium was discovered in 1875. His forecast closely matched the element’s properties.
The Full Story
In 1871, Mendeleev published a revised periodic table that predicted the existence and properties of several missing elements, including eka-aluminum, later discovered as gallium. Gallium was found in 1875 by Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran, and its properties were remarkably close to Mendeleev’s predictions. This success was one of the strongest early proofs that the periodic table reflected real natural order. It made the table famous among chemists across Europe.
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"The prediction that helped prove the periodic table was real"
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