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Which elements did Dmitri Mendeleev correctly predict before they were discovered?
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periodic table
Modern version of the periodic table of the elements. To learn an element's name, atomic number, electron configuration, atomic weight, and more, select one from the table.
In his 1871 version of the periodic table, Dmitri Mendeleev correctly predicted the existence and properties of three then-unknown elements by leaving gaps in his table where he believed they would eventually fit. These elements were:12
- Gallium: Predicted as "eka-aluminum," it was discovered in 1875.34
- Scandium: Predicted by Mendeleev and discovered in 1879.32
- Germanium: Predicted as "eka-silicon," it was discovered in 1886.35
Mendeleevâs ability to accurately forecast the existence and characteristics of these elements based on the periodic law was instrumental in gaining widespread scientific acceptance for his periodic system.13