One of the greatest accomplishments of mankind is the understanding of the elements, as is made evident through the use of the periodic table. The history of the periodic table is interesting and shows a sense of scientific inquiry in how the universe works. The information in the periodic table shows careful measurement, as well as understanding of the elements of themselves. Knowledge of the elements, through the use of the periodic table, is an essential requirement for anyone to grasp who is interested in the purposes of the physical sciences, which is to understand the functions of the universe.
The history of the periodic table has gone through many stages of evolution, starting around the mid-seventeenth century and continuing until today. The need for organization, or rather for something like the periodic table, began with the discovery of new elements. Although Dmitri Mendeleev is considered the "father" of the periodic table, the need for a classification system arose before him and the resulting periodic table is a result of the hard work of many scientists (Western Oregon University 1). In the year 1669, a German amateur alchemist and merchant, Hennig Brand, attempted to make a stone that turned metals to gold, called a “philosopher’s stone” (“Periodic Table History” 1). His attempts failed, as would be expected, but he did discover a new element. His discovery was of phosphorus and in 1680, Robert Boyle also discovered and publicized this element (“Periodic Table History” 1). The known elements would continue to increase and by 1869 science knew of 63 elements (Western Oregon University 1). By this time also, characteristics and similarity in the elements was being noted, causing them to be placed in different classification. Meanwhile, science continued to discover new elements, which also had to place placed in these different classifications. It was said that “as chemistry advances towards perfection, by dividing and subdividing, it is impossible to say where it is to end” so were the discoveries happening so quickly (Lavoisier 1). By 1817 Johann Dobereiner noticed that “the atomic weight of strontium fell midway between the weights of calcium and barium, elements possessing similar chemical properties” which led to the foundations of the Law of Triads (Western Oregon University 1). Following him, many other scientists studied this concept and in 1862, A.E.Beguyer de Chancourtois, a French geologist, published the first periodic table (Western Oregon University 1). A paper written in 1863, by English chemist John Newlands, proposed a classification of the 56 known elements into 11 groups based on similar physical properties. He published his own version of the periodic table, as well as introduced the Law of Octaves, in the year of 1864 (Western Oregon University 1). In 1869 and 1870, Russian Dmitri Mendeleev and German Lothar Meyer, respectively, published very similar periodic tables independently of each other into the scientific community (Western Oregon University 1). By the time 1894 came, Sir William Ramsay and Lord Rayleigh discovered the noble gases and these were added to the periodic table as group 0 (“Periodic Table History” 1). The trend of discovering, measuring, and adding elements has continued as science advances.
Something that makes the periodic table so useful is the careful measurements of the properties of the elements. Measurements and observable facts are foundational to any scientific understanding in all branches of science. As quoted in a Christian High School Science text, William Thomas, Lord Kelvin states the following in regards to measurement:
When you can measure what you are speaking about and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express in in numbers, your knowledge is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind; it may be the beginning of knowledge, but you have scarcely (Steele et al 5).
Based on the premise presented here by William Thomas, because the elements are arranged in measurable and observable value the scientific community knows something about the elements. The elements are sorted in the table based on similarities in physical properties and in order of Atomic Number, or how many protons are in the atoms of the element. Also included is the atomic mass, the chemical symbol and the name of the element. From the placement of an element on the periodic table, many chemical properties can be discerned, such as the number of valance electrons and the charges of the elements. Further, also using the periodic table, the changing of an unstable element (natural or isomer) to a stable element (natural or isomer) in nuclear radioactive decay can be predicted. Thus, having a grasp of understanding of the elements organized in the periodic table opens up a wide range of possibilities for the scientific community.
Today, over one hundred types of elements are known, each possessing a different makeup in the atomic structure of protons, neutrons, and electrons (Bennett et al 114). This in itself provides for a vast topic of study, yet to truly understand something, the history of the subject in question is often employed. The method in which the elements were formed is called the nucleosynthesis. This is the process of making new atomic nuclei from pre-existing nucleons, usually through the merging of hydrogen nuclei to others. This happened in two stages: with the origin of the universe and inside stars (“Formation of the Elements” 1). The origin of the universe is found in the Big Bang theory, which is based on the application of the laws of physics to the idea that everything that exists began as an “incredibly tiny, hot, and dense collection of matter and radiation” (Bennett et al 474). Hydrogen and helium was quickly abundant after the Big Bang, at different amounts, throughout the universe. Gravity began to clump amounts of these two elements together. These clumps eventually formed galaxies and stars. Higher mass elements were formed by the merging and bonding of nuclei, through nuclear fusion. Then, with the death of a star, during the nova or supernova, these “high mass elements, along with … massive nuclei created … were thrown out into space to eventually become incorporated into another star or celestial body” (“The Formation of the High Mass Elements” 1). The formation of the elements eventually led to the formation of the planets, including the planet Earth. This leads to many more concepts and potential disciplines to study, and to think the basis of life started with the stars.
Learning about the elements and the periodic table help to form a better understanding of the order and functions of the universe. If it was not for the many great thinkers of centuries past, the origin of the universe and knowledge of the physical sciences would be extremely limited. They were able to find, identify, measure, and classify the basic building blocks of the world and of life. From their hard work in developing a classification system, many new chemical laws were discovered. With the accomplishment of the classification of elements in the periodic table, a wider perception of scientific inquiry can be explored.
Works Cited
“A Brief History of the Development of the Periodic Table.” Western Oregon University. 2012. Web. 28 July 2012 from http://www.wou.edu/las/physci/ch412/perhist.htm
Bennett et al. The Essential Cosmic Perspective (6th ed.). San Francisco: Pearson Education, 2012. Print.
“Formation of the Elements.” The Smoot Group, 2012. Web. 28 July 2012 from http://aether.lbl.gov/www/tour/elements/element.html
“Formation of the High Mass Elements.” The Smoot Group, 2012. Web. 28 July 2012 from http://aether.lbl.gov/www/tour/elements/stellar/stellar_b.html
Lavoisier, Antoine. “Elements of Chemistry.” David M. Knight, ed., Classical Scientific Papers--Chemistry, Second Series, 1970. Web. 1 August 2012 from http://web.lemoyne.edu/~GIUNTA/lavtable.html
“Periodic Table History.” Lenntech. 2011. Web. 29 July 2012 from http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/history/history-periodic-table.htm
Steele, DeWitt and Gregory Parker. Science of the Physical Creation in Christian Perspective (2nd Ed.) Pensacola: A Beka Book, 1996. Print.
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