Name of School- St. Raphael’S H.S.

School
Topic- Earlier Attempts to Periodic Classification
of Elements
Submitted To- Mrs. K.S Gaisha
Submitted By- Manya Arora
 INDEX
1.AIM 1
2. INTRODUCTION 1
3.ATTEMPTS OF CLASSIFICATION 1-4
4. BIBLIOGRAPHY 5
AIM: To learn about the attempts made for periodic classification in the past

INTRODUCTION: Elements are the basic unit of all types of matter. Scientist earlier knew
only 31 elements but now they have discovered 114 elements (till date). There are still
chances of discovery of more elements as the studies and efficiency improves. Since it is
very difficult to individually study the chemistry of these elements and learn about the
compounds they form, scientist searched for a scientific way to organise their knowledge by
classifying the elements.

ATTEMPTS MADE BY SCIENTISTS FOR CLASSIFICATION:

A. DOBEREINER’S TRIADS LAW

Johann Dobereiner stated “when three elements in a triad were written in order of
increasing atomic masses , the atomic mass of middle element was roughly the
average of atomic masses of other two elements “.

ELEMENT ATOMIC ELEMENT ATOMIC ELEMENT ATOMIC

WEIGHT WEIGHT WEIGHT
Li 7 Ca 40 Cl 35.5
Na 23 Sr 88 Br 80
K 39 Ba 137 I 137
MERITS

1. He gave idea of classification

2. His method of classification provided a base support for Newland and Mendleev to
make new arrangements
3. Provided great significance in prediction properties and masses of elements

DRAWBACKS

1. Dobereiner could identify only three triads. He was not able to prepare triads of all the
known elements.
2. All the known elements could not be arranged in the form of triads.
3. For very low mass or for very high mass elements, the law was not holding good. Take
the example of F, Cl, Br.

B. NEWLAND LAW OF OCTAVE

If the chemical elements are arranged according to increasing atomic weight, those with
similar physical and chemical properties occur after each interval of seven elements

MERITS

1. He was the first scientist to show that there was a systematic relationship btw the atomic
masses and the properties of elements.
 DRAWBACKS
1. He said that there were only 56 elements in nature and no new elements would be
found. But when new elements were found, he had no answer to that.
2. In order to fit all the elements in his table, he put two elements in the same slot
which were not similar and was wrong.
3. It was also seen that Newland's law of octaves was only applicable up to calcium.

C. MENDLEEV’S PERIODIC LAW

It stated “Properties of elements are periodic function of their atomic masses”.

MERITS

1. He left blank Places which help scientist to discover new element

2. When Noble gasses was discovered Hel could add it to periodic table without any
major change
3. He predicted the property of new element

DRAWBACKS
1. He was unable to locate hydrogen in the periodic table.
2. Increase in atomic mass was not regular while moving from one element to
another. Hence, the number of elements yet to be discovered was not predictable.

D. MORDERN PERIODIC LAW

“Properties of the elements are a periodic function of their atomic numbers.”
The vertical columns of the periodic table are called the groups and the elements of the same
group share similar properties. The horizontal rows are called the periods.

MERITS

1. It is easier to remember the properties of an element if its position in the periodic

table is known.
2. The periodic table has made the study of chemistry systematic and easy

3.The type of compounds formed by an element can be predicted by knowing it position

in the periodic table

DRAWBACKS

1. It fails to accommodate lanthanides and actinides in the main body of the periodic table.
These are kept separately at the bottom of the periodic table.

2. Position of hydrogen is not specified.

BILIOGRAPHY:
The sources from where the information for this productive project were
written:
1. Class 11th NCERT
2. Class 10th NCERT
3. www.brainly.in
4. www.wikipedia.in
5. www.vedantu.com
6. www.learcbse.com