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Whose discovery first identified gallium, an element that seemed to confirm Mendeleev’s predictions?

Quick Answer

Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran’s. In 1875, he discovered gallium, matching Mendeleev’s predicted eka-aluminum.

The Full Story

Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran discovered gallium in 1875 while examining zinc blende by spectroscopy. Gallium was important because its properties closely matched Dmitri Mendeleev’s earlier prediction for eka-aluminum. This was one of the strongest early confirmations of the periodic table. Gallium’s later measurement of melting point also made it famous because it can melt in your hand at about 29.8 °C. The discovery helped establish confidence in periodic predictions.

Key Facts

1.1875: gallium was discovered
2.It matched Mendeleev’s predicted eka-aluminum
3.Gallium melts at about 29.8 °C

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"The element that proved the periodic table was real"

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