Dmitri Mendeleev's Lab

The purpose of Mendeleev’s lab is to observe the physical characteristics and properties of common elements. In addition, observe arrangements and trends on the periodic table. Finally, the main goal is to draw conclusions and identify the locations of unknown elements based on given trends and properties. Through observing characteristics and trends, one is introduced to reading the periodic table and its elements, based on how it is arranged. Dmitri Mendeleev was a Russian scientist who is credited with creating the first periodic table. The Russian scientist’s first table included missing, unknown elements, which he correctly predicted the properties of.
In Mendeleev’s lab the given properties of known and unknown elements included density, hardness, conductivity, melting point, solubility, and color, and only sometimes given the physical state (if not given, we observed the physical state). We also knew the group numbers in which the unknowns were to be placed and …show more content…
The element was assigned to group 17 (the halogens) because it’s color is yellow, similar to those of the other elements in the group. Also, the other elements have negative melting points and poor conductivity, the same as Fluorine. “The halogens have a wide range of physical properties” (127). In addition, we observed that “Fluorine and chlorine are gases” (127). Fluorine could not be placed in group 18 as elements of group 18 are radioactive and are colorless, which do not apply to Fluorine. Another element correctly placed was, unknown #5, Gold. Gold was placed in group 11 because we observed its color (gold) and that it is soft just like Silver and Copper. Gold could not be placed in group 1 because group 1 elements “react with water to make alkaline solutions” (127) and gold is not so reactive. Gold could also not be placed in group 18 because most elements of that group “have a full set of electrons in their outermost energy level”