5 Periodic Tables We Don't Use and Why

You probably studied the "regular" periodic table in school—but did you know there are more versions of the periodic table than just the one you know? The periodic table of elements has gone through many iterations since it was first used to organize elements over 150 years ago! Join Michael Aranda in this new episode of SciShow and learn all about them!

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[oDonutso]

What we all need to recognize is that Mendeleev actually invented the Excel spreadsheet.

[TheRogueWolf]

Unfortunately, by the time Alexandre-Émile Béguyer de Chancourtois finished telling people his name, they'd lost all interest in hearing about his Telluric screw.

[jomiar]

Another really cool thing that comes up in radiochemistry (which is chemistry, but with super-heavy or radioactive atoms) is that really large atoms (actinides) actually have electrons moving at appreciable fractions of the speed of light, deforming orbital shapes and significantly altering chemical properties. In fact, arranging the periodic table to group electrons (the "standard" periodic table) generally also groups elements by chemistry, since valence electrons usually are the ones that form the bonds. But this isn't true for the actinides. Because of the deformed orbitals, chemical bonds form very differently, and they behave very differently, breaking periodicity. This has led radiochemists to propose another table arrangement based on chemistry trends.

[kendrickoyola]

Dear god! Number 3 I have no idea if he said that name right but you win

[jubbetje]

The astronomers' periodic table: hydrogen, helium, and everything else they call "metals".

[NickRadant]

I know this is lame but I love y'alls diligence in citing your sources

[WYM]

For transition metals, the highest D shell electrons are also considered valence electrons.

[christelheadington]

Alexandre-Emile Beguyer De Chancourtois.Mumbling to himself, "If I can't get this table to make sense, I am screwed.WAIT!"

[juliav.mcclelland]

I like the left-step table the most. I actually think it would make more sense for us to use that one.

[napoleon]

"Alexandre-Émile Béguyer de Chancourtois" Ok, guys and gals, let's take a minute to admire and pay attribute to Michael and Scishow.

[Dragrath]

For Nuclear physicists there is also the chart of nucleotides which works on similar principals except built around the configuration of the nucleus yet another example of the many ways people categorize things.


The key to keep in mind should be that our categories are never absolute take the periodic table where as you go down the periods the elements start behaving strangely as the electron valence shells become increasingly relativistic.


Another example is plate tectonics if you consider everything to be plates not just the continental material swap out the idea of plates for oceanic crust for the tops of mantle convection cells and treat the continents as buoyant rafts of rock and the way "plates" behave suddenly seems far clearer.
For each pattern one representation will bring it to clarity but it comes at the expense of the other dimensions of complexity to the world around us.

[TitanUranusOfficial]

What do you do with a dead chemist? Barium!
When I heard Oxygen and Magnesium were dating, I was like OMg!

So sorry, I wanted to tell some chemistry jokes, but all the good ones Argon.

[dogphlap]

+SciShow It has been a long time since I last did chemistry but the couple of minutes after 0:55 brought it all back. Fantastic. Concise.

[keeganwymer]

Table of elements organized by how much I, personally, like each element

[dandanthedandan]

Holy crap the left-step one is actually awesome

[abroyd]

4:37 close enough. You deserve an award for even trying^^

[MakeMeThinkAgain]

What always gets me is that all these chemists prior to the 20th century had no idea how any of this worked. Until you understand protons and valence electrons it's all just magic.

[Karabetter]

Best information-packed explanation I have seen i a long time!

[EMAngel]

I really like the left step table but I think it would be even better if each orbital block was shifted up by half an element so that the shell connections where more clear

[MrWizzardx]

Nice work, clear, and paced well. (Taught chem and the periodic table for more years than I care to count!)