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Predicting the Atomic Weights of the Trans-Lawrencium Elements: A Novel Application of Dobereiner's Triads
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Abstract
In 1829, J. W. Dobereiner reported that some elements may be grouped into triads, groups of three elements that showed a smooth gradation in properties and in which the atomic weight and properties of the middle element lie midway between those of the other two elements. Dobereiner's assertion was doomed to failure because of two reasons; namely, many elements were yet undiscovered and because of the difficulty of fitting many of the known elements into recognizable triads. Unlike Mendeleev, Dobereiner did not use his triads predictively. However, Dobereiner's concept of triads provided Mendeleev with a method of estimating the properties of eka-boron, eka-aluminum, and eka-silicon. Moreover, Dobereiner's groupings remain useful for predicting the properties of the super-heavy elements (113–118) and for providing reasonable estimates of the atomic weights of all 16 trans-lawrencium elements. Indeed a total of 26 triads can now be recognized, thus attesting to the ubiquitousness of Dobereiner's assertion.
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Periodicity / Periodic TableCiting Articles
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This article has been cited by 4 ACS Journal articles (4 most recent appear below).
Theoretical Basis and Correct Explanation of the Periodic System: Review and Update
W. H. Eugen Schwarz, Ronald L. RichJournal of Chemical Education2010 87 (4), 435-443Theoretical Basis and Correct Explanation of the Periodic System: Review and Update
W. H. Eugen Schwarz, Ronald L. RichJournal of Chemical Education2010 87 (4), 435-443Long-standing questions on the theoretical basis of the periodic system have been answered in recent years. A specific type of periodicity is imposed on all elements by the main groups just before and after the noble gasses. The upper np shells of these ...
Response to “The Role of Triads”
Eric ScerriJournal of Chemical Education2009 86 (10), 1185Response to “The Role of Triads”
Eric ScerriJournal of Chemical Education2009 86 (10), 1185It is worth seeking a perfect and ideal periodic table of elements because chemical periodicity reflects independently existing trends in nature rather than merely being an artificial classification designed for our convenience and as an aid to teaching ...
The Role of Triads
Michael LaingJournal of Chemical Education2009 86 (10), 1183The Role of Triads
Michael LaingJournal of Chemical Education2009 86 (10), 1183I am pleased that Eric Scerri has reminded us of the significance of the concept of triads, and of their important role in the development of the periodic table, and of the power of triads to predict chemical properties of elements.
The Role of Triads in the Evolution of the Periodic Table: Past and Present
Eric ScerriJournal of Chemical Education2008 85 (4), 585The Role of Triads in the Evolution of the Periodic Table: Past and Present
Eric ScerriJournal of Chemical Education2008 85 (4), 585The purpose of this article is to propose a new design for the presentation of the periodic system of the elements. It is a system that highlights the fundamental importance of elements as basic substances rather than elements as simple substances, a ...
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- Received: August 03, 2009
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