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Whose atomic-number rule fixed the periodic table’s ordering?

Quick Answer

Henry Moseley’s. In 1913 he showed that elements should be arranged by atomic number, not atomic weight.

The Full Story

Henry Moseley’s X-ray studies in 1913 revealed that each element has a unique positive charge in its nucleus, now called atomic number. His work showed that the periodic table makes best sense when elements are ordered by increasing atomic number rather than atomic weight. This solved inconsistencies in earlier tables and correctly placed elements such as argon and potassium. Moseley’s result became one of the foundations of the modern periodic table.

Key Facts

1.1913: Moseley published his atomic-number work
2.Atomic number equals the number of protons
3.His work corrected several element order anomalies

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"The simple rule that reshaped the periodic table"

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