Which Russian chemist's periodic table was published in a German magazine in 1872?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The correct answer is option 3 i.e. Dmitri Mendeleev.
- Dmitri Mendeleev, a distinguished Russian chemist, is best known for developing the first widely recognized Periodic Table of Elements.
- In 1872, Mendeleev published his version of the periodic table in a German scientific journal, allowing his work to reach a broad international audience.
- He arranged the elements according to their atomic weights and chemical properties, which led to the formulation of the Periodic Law. This law stated that the properties of elements vary in a periodic manner with their atomic weights.
- What truly set Mendeleev apart was his foresight. He left gaps in his table for elements that had not yet been discovered and accurately predicted their properties. Elements such as gallium, scandium, and germanium were later found and confirmed his predictions.
- Though modern periodic tables now organize elements by atomic number rather than weight, Mendeleev’s structure laid the groundwork for our current understanding of the relationships among elements.
- His contributions were instrumental in making chemistry a more structured and predictive science, helping to transform it into a systematic field of study.