Since its discovery, the history of germanium (atomic number 32,
atomic weight 72.60, density
5.36) has been full of interesting epodes. The existence of the
germanium element was foreseen
about 100 years ago by the Russian chemist, Omitri Mendeleev.
Mendeleev, the proponent of
the periodic law (A chemical law which states that the properties of
the elements are
periodic functions of their atomic weights) not only listed the
properties of the then
known elements but also theorized the existence of several
undiscovered elements. In his periodic
table, which he used to illustrate the law, he left certain gaps for
the yet to be discovered
elements the 32nd column was for an element whose properties he
predicted referred to
as "ekasilicon." Mendeleev's theory of new elements
proved correct. They began to appear
with qualities remarkable similar to those which he predicted:
Two appeared soon after he
announced the law gallium in 1875 and scandium in 1879.
In 1886, a German chemist, Clemens Winkler, while making a chemical
analysis of the ore argyrodite,
noticed on completion of his analysis that the sum of all the
ingredients did not add up to the
original quantity. At first he attributed this to some substance that
escaped in the vapor
produced with the ore which was being heated with chlorine ions in an
acid solution. In efforts to
locate the missing substance, he developed and experimented with
several assays until he
eventually succeeded in isolating it. In subsequent analyses he
discovered that it fitted the
description of the element Mendeleev had earlier called "ekasilicon."
Winkler decided to name the new element germanium, in tribute to his
fatherland.
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Since its discovery, the history of germanium (atomic number 32,
atomic weight 72.60, density
5.36) has been full of interesting epodes. The existence of the
germanium element was foreseen
about 100 years ago by the Russian chemist, Omitri Mendeleev.
Mendeleev, the proponent of
the periodic law (A chemical law which states that the properties of
the elements are
periodic functions of their atomic weights) not only listed the
properties of the then
known elements but also theorized the existence of several
undiscovered elements. In his periodic
table, which he used to illustrate the law, he left certain gaps for
the yet to be discovered
elements the 32nd column was for an element whose properties he
predicted referred to
as "ekasilicon." Mendeleev's theory of new elements
proved correct. They began to appear
with qualities remarkable similar to those which he predicted:
Two appeared soon after he
announced the law gallium in 1875 and scandium in 1879.
In 1886, a German chemist, Clemens Winkler, while making a chemical
analysis of the ore argyrodite,
noticed on completion of his analysis that the sum of all the
ingredients did not add up to the
original quantity. At first he attributed this to some substance that
escaped in the vapor
produced with the ore which was being heated with chlorine ions in an
acid solution. In efforts to
locate the missing substance, he developed and experimented with
several assays until he
eventually succeeded in isolating it. In subsequent analyses he
discovered that it fitted the
description of the element Mendeleev had earlier called "ekasilicon."
Winkler decided to name the new element germanium, in tribute to his
fatherland.