Discover Dmitri Mendeleev: Top 5 Fun and Fascinating Facts About the Father of the Periodic Table
1. Mother-knows-best Quest
In a classic mother-knows-best move, Dmitri Mendeleev embarked on a journey fit for a Game of Thrones character: His devoted mum chaperoned him across the vast Russian terrain, exchanging their humble abode for the bustling city of St. Petersburg. Purpose of the quest: to fill Father's shoes – quite literally. Serious reveal: At the age of 16, Dmitri left home with his mother to attend the same college his late father had, and ultimately pursued a career as a legendary teacher and chemist.
Source => study.com
2. Hair-Raising Appearance
Like a hair-raising experiment gone awry, Dmitri Mendeleev's mane was so gloriously untamed that it could give Rapunzel a run for her money: In reality, Mendeleev was a renowned chemist who embraced his eccentric appearance, complete with a voluminous beard and hair that saw the scissors just once a year, making him a beloved figure at the Technical Institute in St. Petersburg.
Source => khanacademy.org
Discover the secret behind the noble gases' unreactive nature on the periodic table, and find out why helium, the ultimate party-crasher, barely reacts with other elements. Learn how these gases keep it classy with their full outer electron shells!
=> Fun Facts about The-Periodic-Table
3. Psychic Element Guesses
Before the psychic hotline had a chance: Dmitri Mendeleev was playing "guess the element" with the periodic table, correctly foreseeing the existence of Scandium, Gallium, and Germanium, which were initially dubbed eka-boron, eka-aluminium, and eka-silicon, until being proven and acknowledged by fellow scientists.
Source => lidolearning.com
4. Tinder for Elements
Mendeleev and his periodic table were like the Tinder for elements, deftly swiping them into their rightful places before anyone else could make the connection; funny how chemistry works: Despite several other scientists also discovering the periodic law, Dmitri Mendeleev emerged as the king of the element castle thanks to his clear, consistent, and systematic approach. Plus, he made cool predictions and wasn't afraid to correct his mistakes, keeping his periodic prowess on point through the ages.
Source => web.lemoyne.edu
5. Periodic Treasure Map
In a world where X marked the spot for hidden treasures, Dmitri Mendeleev was busy predicting spoils of his own in the form of elusive elements: Using the periodic table's patterns like a clairvoyant scientist, Mendeleev filled in the blanks with "eka" placeholder-names and foretold the properties of gallium, germanium, and scandium—nailing their attributes and confirming the periodic table's status as a prophetic treasure map of matter!
Source => khanacademy.org