I know they were arranged first by atomic mass and then later atomic numbers, but why couldn't they first arrange it base on colour, state and taste of the elements? Was it because it was too different and consist of no similarities?
2007-09-16 11:24:57 · 10 answers · asked by Annoymous 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
What are the ways you can CLASSIFY color, state, and taste? You can't classify them into sour-tasting and sweet-tasting, it's just too objective. These things are not scientific, they are what you perceive. Some might say the color is pink, some might say purple. Also, some elements are colorless and tasteless, so how would you classify that?
2007-09-16 11:30:24 · answer #1 · answered by dazed and confused 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As a bio-chem undergrad. I find that I didn't memorize the first two rows the table on purpose. Memorization of the first two rows come from doing homework problems over and over again. By the time you get thru introductory and general chemistry, you'll at least know the atomic number and mass of H, N, C, and O in the back of your head. Probably even a few other elements such as Cl, Fl, B, S, I, Na, Li, Fe..etc.. But a few of my instructors has mentioned, except for a few mostly used elements, the rest of the periodic table should be used as tools, not memorized.
2016-05-21 03:30:49 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Color, state and taste are physical properties of the elements. The elements are arranged in the periodic table based in chemical properties. The elements are listed in groups (vertically) based on how the elements react with other things. For example, all of the elements listed in the first vertical group on the periodic table form +1 ions, so their chemistry will be similar. Same goes for all of the elements on the last vertical group (noble gases). The outer orbital of these elements are completely filled with electrons so they are relatively inactive.
These are just some examples, but all of the elements are placed where they are based on their chemical properties.
2007-09-16 11:30:29 · answer #3 · answered by Katie A 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would make no sense for accessing the information.
Any database has a natural sequence of construction.
The Periodic Table was made to explain Atomic Theory.
Every element can have 3 states,
taste is not relevant to most elements,
colour may differ with state.
2007-09-16 11:30:31 · answer #4 · answered by Robert S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mostly, because they are too variable. What I think is red you may think is brown. State is by definition change-able, or else every element would have three entries for solid, liquid and gas. Taste is no good because more elements are toxic or tasteless than not.
2007-09-16 11:30:46 · answer #5 · answered by juicy_wishun 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
this is because things that have sequential atomic numbers and mass often have many similar properties. so in a way they are doing exactly what you said
2007-09-16 11:29:06 · answer #6 · answered by thedrsson 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I dont think someone could taste all those elements.. considering that some of them are actually strong poisons...
2007-09-16 11:31:15 · answer #7 · answered by Kirin 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yea, pretty much. its just makes a lot more sense to do it by atomic numbers since they can actually be organized into gases, metals, nonmetals, etc. color and taste would be really disorganized and would make it a lot harder to read.
2007-09-16 11:29:38 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are also placed in order of their discovery.
If you rearrange the table, then every book has to be rewritten.
2007-09-16 11:33:35 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
well, first of all you dont want to taste something that might damage your health and 90% of males are actually color blind towards certain colors.
2007-09-16 11:29:29 · answer #10 · answered by christian3411 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋