Emerson (1944)

[Rene]

I learnt something new today.

Emerson writes: 

The elements in the A groups are called the representative elements because, as Eble states, they "include metals, nonmetals, inert elements, liquids, and gases."

• Eble RL 1938, Atomic structure and the periodic table, JChemEd., vol. 15, p. 575

If I ever read why the representative elements are called that, I’ve forgotten it.

Note the inclusion in Emerson’s table of the neutron as element 0. Astonishingly, Emerson writes:

Element 0, possibly neutron [sic], is considered as a noble gas. Because of its probable chemical inertness and extreme density it might not be detected in a sizeable amount until some future scientist succeeds in sampling the center of the earth[!] (p. 111)

Other features:

• The A and B groups are diametrically opposed in their positioning.
• "The electron structure of H either as H+ or H– finds a counterpart in the structure of element 0 or 2." (p. 113)
• The cell spaces for Be and Mg have been stretched on account of uncertainty as to whether they belong to group 2 or group 12.
• "The break between the periphery of the loops of the spiral along the spaces allotted to Mg and the transition metals of the fourth period serves to indicate that Be and Mg are not to be considered as a kind of prototype of these groups." (p. 111)
• "The C group is shown as a separate segment. If one were not concerned by plane representation the rare earths could be represented as a loop or bulge above the surface of the plane. One might imagine that this group of metals is a sort of hernia of nature that has been excised so as to maintain a flat surface." (p. 112–113)

René

Emerson EI 1944, A new spiral form of the periodic table, JChemEd., vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 111–115