A Survey of the Periodic Table

A Survey of the Periodic TableIt is difficult to appreciate the importance of Michael Addition organic chemistry class without having learned a great deal about the periodic table. As I wrote in my last Organic Chemistry class, chemistry is a science which includes an application of knowledge, information and theory about elements, molecules, atoms, etc., so I encourage you to learn this important subject as soon as possible.The periodic table is a key factor in the study of the nature of chemistry, world history and all other aspects of life. Elements in the same row are the same element. These elements, combined in different ways, can produce different substances and elements.The periodic table has been used since ancient times, with the ancient Egyptians using it to describe the natural world. This gives the table a long history. Ancient man recognized the power of the elements to create different kinds of substances which we recognize today as medicines, foods, minerals, plastics , paint, coal, etc. The ancient Greeks and the Chinese had similar ideas, but unlike the Egyptians, did not think of the periodic table in the same way today.The periodic table was used more widely during the Middle Ages. At that time, it was considered more of a religious artifact than a tool for science. There was a belief that the elements would travel down through different veins through time, thereby passing by many forms and places before finally settling at the bottom of the earth. The periodic table helps us understand this belief, because it illustrates that at each time the earth and its atmosphere have changed, certain elements have either altered their positions or new forms have emerged.Modern scientists, though, still cannot agree on which of the elements should be numbered first. Part of the problem is that different people use different units of measurement. Some people use the International System, while others use the SI, and still others use the U.S. customary uni ts. And then there are those who prefer to use their own unit, perhaps one that makes sense to them personally.In some parts of the world, the concept of the periodic table seems to have been forgotten. For example, the Chinese can use the moon's distance from earth as their unit of measure, and they just as readily use the Chinese values of the number 'one' to identify elements. It is often said that the element found on the opposite side of the earth will be easy to identify with a traditional unit of measurement.I hope you can appreciate the value of learning about the periodic table. It can help you think about chemistry and science in a different way. If you are looking for a topic for your next chemistry class, this would be a good time to introduce this subject to students.