(Inorganic Chemistry) Periodic Table
INTRODUCTION:
The arrangement of all the known elements according to their properties in such a way that the
elements of similar properties are grouped together in a tabular form is called periodic table. Scientists
from the very beginning have attempted to systematize the knowledge they gained through their
observations and experiments. Development of the periodic law and the periodic table of the elements
is one such attempt. This has brought order in the study of the vast chemistry of more than a hundred
elements known now. Therefore, it is quite natural to begin your study of inorganic chemistry with the
study of the periodic table in this unit.
By the mid-nineteenth century, more than 60 elements were known and many more were being
discovered. During this period, it was also realized that certain groups of elements exhibited similar
physical and chemical properties. Was it a mere coincidence or did a relationship exist among the
properties of the elements? Attempts to reply such probing questions ultimately resulted in the
development of the periodic law.
Periodic table helps us to undergo a systematic study of the various elements found in nature, Without
which it would have been impossible for us to study all the elements. By classifying the elements into
various groups and periods a comparative study of the elements and their compounds can be done.
Several attempts were made to classify the elements which are as follows.
DEVELOPMENT OF PERIODIC TABLE :
(A) LAVOISIER CLASSIFICATION :
(i) Lavoisier classified the elements simply in metals and non metals. Metals are the one
which have the tendency of losing the electrons.
Non-metals are the one which have the tendency of gaining the electrons.
(ii) Drawbacks or Limitations:
(a) As the number of elements increased, this classification became insufficient for the
study of elements.
(b) There are few elements which have the properties of both metals as well as
nonmetals and they are called metalloids. Lavoisier could not decide where to place the
metalloids.
(B) PROUT'S HYPOTHESIS (Unitary theory):
He simply assumed that all the elements are made up of hydrogen, so we can say that Atomic
weight of element (Atomic weight of one hydrogen atom)
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(Inorganic Chemistry) Periodic Table
where number of hydrogen atom
Drawbacks or Limitations :
(i) Every element cannot be formed by Hydrogen.
(ii) Atomic weight of all elements were not found as the whole numbers.
Ex. Chlorine (atomic weight 35.5 ) and Strontium (atomic weight 87.6 )
(C) DOBEREINER TRIAD RULE [1817]:
(i) He made groups of three elements having similar chemical properties called TRIAD.
(ii) In Dobereiner triad, atomic weight of middle element is nearly equal to the average
atomic weight of first and third element.
Where average atomic weight
(iii) Other examples- (K, Rb, Cs), (P, As, Sb), (S, Se, Te), (H, F, Cl), (Sc, Y,La)
Drawbacks or Limitations : All the known elements could not be arranged as triads. It is
not applicable for and f-block elements.
Illustrations (Optional)
Illustration 1. Atomic weight of an element is 39 , and that of element is 132 . atomic weight of
their intermediate element , as per dobereiner triad, will be
(A) 88.5 (B) 93.0 (C) 171 (D) 85.5
Solution. (D)
Illustration 2. Which of the following is not a dobereiner triad
(A) Li, Na, K (B) Mg, Ca, (C) Cl, Br, I (D)
Solution. (B)
The difference in atomic number are different
Illustration 3. The law of triads is applicable to
(A) (B) (C) (D)
Solution. (D)
The difference in atomic number are same.
Illustration 4. The law of triads is not applicable on
(A) (B) (C) (D)
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(Inorganic Chemistry) Periodic Table
Solution. (B)
The difference in atomic number are different
(D) NEWLAND'S OCTAVE' RULE [1865]
(i) He arranged the elements in the increasing order of their atomic masses and observe
that properties of every 8th element was similar to the element (like in the case of
musical vowels notation).
(ii) At that time inert gases were not known.
(iii) The properties of are similar to 8th element i.e. Na and properties of Be are similar to
and so on.
Drawbacks or Limitations :
(a) This rule is valid only up to , because after Ca due to presence of d-block elements
there is difference of 18 elements instead of 8 element.
(b) After the discovery of Inert gases and including them into the periodic table it becomes
the 8th .element from Alkali metal so this law had to be dropped out.
Illustrations (Optional)
Illustration 1. Which of the following set of elements obey Newland's octave rule-
(A) (B) (C) (D) B, AI, Ga
Ans. (C)
Illustration 2. For which of the pair Newland's octave rule is not applicable-
(A) Li, (B) C, Si (C) (D)
Ans. (D)
(E) LOTHER MEYER'S CURVE [1869] :
(i) He plotted a curve between atomic weight and atomic volume of different elements.
(ii) The following observations can be made from the curve
(a) Most electropositive elements i.e. alkali metals (Li, Na, K Rb, Cs etc.) occupy the peak positions on
the curve.
(b) Less electropositive i.e. alkaline earth metal ( occupy the descending positions
on the curve.
(c) Metalloids ( , etc.) and transition metals occupy bottom part of the curve.
(d) Most electronegative i.e. halogens ( , I) occupy the ascending positions on the curve.
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(Inorganic Chemistry) Periodic Table
Note: Elements having similar properties occupy similar positions on the curve.
Conclusion : On the basis of this curve Lother Meyer proposed that the physical properties of
the elements are periodic function of their atomic weight and this became the base of
Mendeleev's periodic table.
Periodic function : When the elements are arranged in the increasing order of their atomic
weight, elements having similar properties gets repeated after a regular interval.
(F) MENDELEEV'S PERIODIC TABLE [1869] :
(i) Mendeleev's periodic law : The physical and chemical properties of elements are the periodic
function of their atomic weight.
(ii) Characteristics of Mendeleev's periodic table:
(a) It was based on atomic weight.
(b) 63 elements were known, noble gases were not discovered.
(c) He was the first scientist to classify the elements in a systematic manner i.e. in horizontal
rows and in vertical columns.
(d) Horizontal rows were called periods and there were 7 periods in Mendeleev's Periodic
table.
(e) Vertical columns are called groups and there were 8 groups in Mendeleev's Periodic
table.
(f) Each group upto VII was divided into A & B sub groups 'A' sub group element were called
normal elements and 'B' sub group elements were called transition elements.
(g) The VIII group was consisted of 9 elements in three rows (Transition metal group).
(h) The elements belonging to same group exhibit similar properties.
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(Inorganic Chemistry) Periodic Table
(iii) Merits or advantages of Mendeleev's periodic table :
(a) Study of elements: First time all known elements were classified in groups according to
their similar properties. So study of the properties of elements become easier.
(b) Prediction of new elements : It gave encouragement to the discovery of new elements as
some gaps were left in it.
Sc (Scandium), Ga (Gallium), Ge (Germanium), Tc (Technetium)
These were the elements for whom position and properties were well defined by
Mendeleev even before their discoveries and he left the blank spaces for them in his
table.
Ex. Blank space at atomic weight 72 in silicon group was called Eka silicon (means properties like
silicon) and element discovered later was named Germanium. Similarly other elements
discovered after mendeleev periodic table were.
Illustrations (Optional)
Illustration 1. Which of the following element was present in Mendeleev's periodic table?
(A) (B) (C) (D) None of these
Solution. (D)
These elements were added after Mendeleev's periodic table.
(c) Correction of doubtful atomic weights : Correction were done in atomic weight of some
elements.
Initially, it was found that equivalent weight of is 4.5 and it is trivalent , so the
weight of Be was 13.5 and there is no space in Mendeleev's periodic table for this
element.
So, after correction, it was found that Be is actually bivalent . So, the weight of Be
became and there was a space between and for this element in
Mendeleev's table.
Note: Corrections done in atomic weight of elements were - U, Be, In, Au, Pt.
Demerits of Mendeleev's periodic table:
(a) Position of hydrogen : Hydrogen resembles both, the alkali metals (IA) and the halogens (VIIA)
in properties so Mendeleev could not decide where to place it.
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(Inorganic Chemistry) Periodic Table
(b) Position of isotopes: As atomic weight of isotopes differs, they should have been placed at
different position in Mendeleev's periodic table, But there were no such places for isotopes in
Mendeleev's periodic table.
(c) Anomalous pairs of elements : There were some pairs of element which did not follow the
increasing order of atomic weights.
Ex. Ar and Co were placed before and Ni respectively in the periodic table, both having higher
atomic weights.
(d) Like elements were placed in different groups :
There were some elements like Platinum (Pt) and Gold (Au) which have similar properties but
were placed in different groups in Mendeleev's table.
(e) Unlike elements were placed in same group :
and placed in group along with etc. while they differ in their properties
(Only similar in having electronic configuration)
(f) It was not clear that 'lanthanides and Actinides' are related with IIIA group or IIIB group.
(g) Cause of periodicity: Why physical and chemical properties repeated in a group.
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(Inorganic Chemistry) Periodic Table
DO YOURSELF 1
1. Mendeleev's periodic law is based on
(A) Atomic number (B) Atomic weight
(C) Number of neutrons (D) None of the above
2. The first attempt to classify elements systematically was made by -
(A) Mendeleev (B) Newland
(C) Lother Meyer (D) Dobereincr
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(Inorganic Chemistry) Periodic Table
(G) MODERN PERIODIC TABLE (MODIFIED MENDELEEV PERIODIC TABLE) :
(i) It was proposed by Moseley.
(ii) Modern periodic table is based on atomic number.
(iii) Moseley did an experiment in which he bombarded high speed electron on different metal
surfaces and obtained X-rays.
He found out that where
frequency of X-rays
atomic number.
From this experiment, Moseley concluded that the physical and chemical properties of the elements
are periodic function of their atomic number. It means that when the elements are arranged in the
increasing order of their atomic number elements having similar properties gets repeated after a
regular interval. This is also known as 'Modern Periodic Law'.
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(Inorganic Chemistry) Periodic Table
(iv) Modern periodic law:
The physical & chemical properties of elements are the periodic function of their atomic
number.
(v) Characteristics of modern periodic table:
(a) 9 vertical columns called groups.
(b) I to VIII group +0 group of inert gases.
(c) Inert gases were introduced in periodic table by Ramsay.
(d) 7 horizontal rows called periods.
(H) LONG FORM / PRESENT FORM OF MODERN PERIODIC TABLE :
(It is also called as 'Bohr, Bury, Rang and Werner Periodic Table)
(i) It is based on the Bohr-Bury electronic configuration concept and atomic number.
(ii) This model is proposed by Rang & Werner
(iii) 7 periods and 18 groups
(iv) According to I. U. P. A. C. 18 vertical columns are named as to group.
(iv) Modern periodic law: The physical & chemical properties of elements are the periodic
function of their atomic number.
(v) The co-relation between the groups in long form of periodic table and in modern form of
periodic table are given below -
(vi) Elements belonging to same group have same number of electrons in the outermost shell
so their properties are similar.
Description of periods
* All elements of periodic table has been discovered
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