What did the gaps on Mendeleev's periodic table represent?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The gaps on Mendeleev's Periodic Table represent undiscovered elements that Mendeleev predicted would exist and have properties matching the patterns of his table. These predictions were later proved correct with the discovery of elements like Gallium and Germanium.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Mendeleev's Periodic Table

Dmitri Mendeleev, a Russian chemist, created a table, i.e., the periodic table of elements in the year 1869. He organized the elements based on their atomic weight and properties, and most interestingly he left some blanks or gaps in his table.
02

Identifying the Significance of the Gaps in the Table

Mendeleev was confident that the gaps in his periodic table represented undiscovered elements. This was based on his law of octaves, which suggested a repeating pattern of properties for every eighth element when they were arranged by increasing atomic weight.
03

Justification of the Gaps

Later, elements were discovered that fit perfectly into the gaps in Mendeleev's table. For instance, Gallium and Germanium filled the gaps and they possessed properties predicted by Mendeleev. This not only justified his gaps but also confirmed his periodic law.

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