title: Elements in the history of the Periodic Table.
abstract: Discovery of the Periodic Table was rendered possible only after four decisive prerequisites had been achieved. These were (i) the abandonment of the metaphysical and occult notions of elements that typified the alchemical era; (ii) the adoption of a modern and workable definition of an element; (iii) the development of analytical chemical techniques for the isolation of the elements and determination of their properties; and (iv) the devising of a means of associating each element with a characteristic natural number. The Periodic Table made its appearance on cue almost as soon as these preconditions had been fulfilled.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
authors.forename: Dennis H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Rouvray
mesh_terms: D002621:Chemistry / Q000266:history*; D004602:Elements; D005060:Europe; D049668:History, 15th Century; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D013997:Time Factors; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000266:history
chemical_list: D004602:Elements; D014131:Trace Elements