The set of chemical elements can be arranged in many and various ways. This page explores forms of the periodic table rather than how properties can be mapped onto the periodic table schema. This page has been described as a "zoo of periodic tables".

Alchemy & Diderot's Alchemical Chart of Affinities (1778):

A Choice Collection of Rare Secrets (1682):

Antoine Lavoisier (1743-1794) Table of 1789 when 33 elements were known, captured from Peter van der Krogt's Elementymology & Elements Multidict web site:

John Dalton Elements

A very early notebook (1803):

A fuller list of Dalton's elements and symbols (1808):

From from Peter van der Krogt's Elementymology & Elements Multidict web site and here, here, here, here and here.

Johann Dobereiner's Triads (1780 - 1849)

Triads are found with sequence of three similar elements, where the middle element has a mass equal to the average of the least and most massive. The diagram below, uses mid-nineteenth century atomic mass information rather than modern data. If atomic numbers (Z) are used (a property unknown in 1850), the triads are exact:

The Telluric Helix or Screw (1862)

The French geologist , Alexandre-Émile Béguyer de Chancourtois(1820-1886) was the first person to make use of atomic weights to produce a classification of periodicity. He drew the elements as a continuous spiral around a metal cylinder divided into 16 parts. The atomic weight of oxygen was taken as 16 and was used as the standard against which all the other elements were compared. Tellurium was situated at the centre, prompting vis tellurique, or telluric screw.

Chancourtois' original formulation includes elements in their correct places, selected compounds and some elements in more than one place. The helix was an important advance in that it introduced the concept of periodicity, but it was flawed. The formulation was rediscovered in the 1889 (P. J. Hartog, "A First Foreshadowing of the Periodic Law" Nature 46, 186-8 (1889)), and since then it has appeared most often in a simplified form that emphasizes the virtues and eliminates its flaws. [Thanks to CG for this info.]

(Dutch Wikipedia, ScienceWorld & the Science and Society picture library.

Newlands' Octaves, 1864

One of the first attempts at a periodic table, known as "Newlands octaves", arranged the known elements by atomic weight. Newland noticed that if he broke up his list of elements into groups of seven – starting a new row with the eighth element – the first element in each of those groups had similar chemistry. More here.

Seeing the word octave applied to this table may lead one to think that Newlands recognised periods of eight elements with repeating properties, as we do with the modern periodic table, for example: Li Be B C N O F Ne.

However, each sequence of Newlands' octaves contain only seven elements. Count the columns! In Newlands' day the group 8 (18) rare gas elements, He, Ne, Ar, Kr & Xe, had not yet been discovered.

To Newlands, Li to Na is an octave of eight elements, the eighth element repeating the properties of the first.

A   B   C   D   E   F   G   A

• To Newlands, Li to Na is an octave of eight elements.
• We say Li to Ne is a period of eight elements, and that that Li and Na are in different periods. Indeed, the Li to Na series consists of nine elements.
• In Newlands' day the group 8 (18) rare gas elements, He, Ne, Ar, Kr & Xe, had not been discovered.

  Read more about Newland's Octaves, including a commentry on the origional papers in Carmen Giunta's Elements and Atoms: Case Studies in the Development of Chemistry.

Mendeleev's Tables of 1869 and 1871

Mendeleev's Tabelle II in semi-modern Form: To the modern eye, the 1869/71 formulations lacks any Group 18 rare gases and there are few f-block elements:

Scanned from the first English edition of Dmitrii Mendeleev's Principles of Chemistry (1891, translated from the Russian fifth edition) a table showing the periodicity of the properties of many chemical elements, taken from the Wikipedia from where a 2116 x 2556 version is available, or here.

Mendeleev's Periodic Table in Modern Form

The success of the Mendeleev periodic table can be attributed to the gaps which Mendeleev predicted would contain undiscovered elements with predictable properties. Mendeleev named these unknown elements using the terms eka, dvi and tri, from the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit:

Moseley's Periodic Law

Henry Moseley (1887-1915) subjected known elements to x-rays and was able to derive a relationship between x-ray frequency and number of protons. When Moseley arranged the elements according to increasing atomic numbers and not atomic masses, some of the inconsistencies associated with Mendeleev's table were eliminated. The modern periodic table is based on Moseley's Periodic Law (atomic numbers). Info from Edwin Thall's web site, here.

The Modern Periodic Table

The modern periodic table is based on quantum numbers and blocks, here.

A periodic table can be constructed by listing the elements by n and l quantum number:

The problem with this mapping is that the generated sequence is not continuous with respect to atomic number atomic number, Z: Check out the sequence Ar to K, 18 to 19.

Named after a French chemist who first published in the formulation in 1929, the Janet or Left-Step Periodic Table uses a slightly different mapping:

While the Janet periodic table is very logical and clear it does not separate metals from non-metals as well as the Mendeleev version, and helium is a problem chemically.

However, it is a simple mapping to go from the Janet or Left-Step periodic table to a modern formulation of Mendeleev's periodic table:

On this page web, "full" f-block included periodic tables are shown wherever possible, as above.

However, the periodic table is usually exhibited in book and on posters in a compressed form with the f-block "rare earths" separated away from the s-block, p-block and d-block elements:

However, the compression used introduces the well known problem known as a "fence post error".

The effect is that:

La and Ac: move from f-block to d-block
Lu and Lr: move from p-block to f-block

Chemically, the elements can be fitted in and classified either way. Many thanks to JD for pointing the situation with the periodic table is a fence post error.

Mark Winter's Web Elements project, here, uses the formulation shown below:

Interestingly, the IUPAC periodic table separates out 15 lanthanides, La-Lu, and 15 actinides, Ac-Lr by leaving gaps in period 3 under Sc & Y:

This corresponds to:

An even longer periodic table – developed by Glenn T. Seaborg in 1969 – containing the yet-to-be-discovered g-block elements can be constructed. For the full version and discussion, go to Jeries Rihani's pages, here and here.

There is an extended PT from the Wikipedia, here:

Where Should Hydrogen Go?

There are four possible positions for hydrogen:

• A Group 1 element, above Li, because it forms H⁺ ions.
• A Group 17 element, above F, because it forms H^- ions.
• Above and between boron and carbon because it is of intermediate electronegativity.
• In the top middle, because nowhere else is ideal.

Where Should Aluminium Go?

Fathi Habashi aruges in Chemistry in Education (1994) that aluminium, Al, should be placed above scandium and next to magnesium. There is more information about this formulation here:

Other formulations of the periodic table:

The Bayley-Thomsen-Bohr Periodic Table

A formulation adapted by Eric Scerri from tables developed by Thomas Bayley, Jørgen Thomsen and Neils Bohr that depicts the symmetrical nature of the periodic law.

Eric Scerri, The Evolution of the Periodic System, American Scientist, November-December issue, 1997, 546-553

1934: Three Periodic Table Formulation Review Papers by Quam & Quam

Short Periodic Tables.pdf
Medium Periodic Tables.pdf
Spiral, Helical & Misc Periodic Tables.pdf

• Mendeléeff's Table (their spelling, 1872)
• Brauner's Table (1902)
• Rydberg Table (1913)
• Periodic Chart by Quam (1934)
• Rang's Periodic Table (1893)
• Werner's Periodic Table (1905)
• Courtines' Periodic Classification (1925)
• Bayley's Periodic System (1882)
• Adam's Periodic Chart (1911)
• Margary's Periodic Table (1921)
• Stareck's Natural Periodic System (1932)
• Baumhauer's Spiral (1870)
• Erdmann's Spiral Table (1902)
• Nodder's Periodic Table (1920)
• Partington's Periodic Arrangements of the Elements (1920)
• Janet's Helicodial Classification (1929)
• The Telluric Screw (1863)
• Crookes' Periodic Table model (1898)
• Emerson's Helix (1911)
• Periodic Table by Harkins and Hall (1916)
• Schaltenbrand's Periodic Table (1920)
• Rixon's Diagram of the Periodic Table (1933)
• Spring's Diagram (1881)
• Flavitzky's Arrangement (1887)
• Stephenson's Statistical Periodic Table (1929)
• Friend's Periodic System (1927)
• Many others, including: Vogel (1918), Stintzing (1916) and Caswell (1929) are discribed without the benefit diagrams.

Eric Scerri's Periodic Table (2006):

Eric Scerri says, "I have recently developed a new periodic table with some very nice features. I am now shifting my allegiance from the left-step table to this one."

• New design based on the fundamental nature of triads, and on atomic number triads in particular.
• H,F,Cl is a new perfect atomic number triad not featured in the usual medium-long form table. There are also many chemical arguments for placing H among the halogens rather than the alkalis.
• Note the regularity regarding period lengths. 8, 8, 18, 18, 32, 32 ...
• All period lengths repeat without fail, unlike in the medium-long form.
• Also note the bi-lateral symmetry assuming the rare earths are given as a footnote.

Read the paper on the philosophy of science web site.

Eric Scerri, The Periodic Table: Its Story and Its Significance, Oxford University Press, 2006. Read an interview with the author, here, and a review of the book here.

The Alexander Periodic Table

The American classic Henry Hubbard Periodic Chart Of The Atoms went through 12 editions.

A 1924 original on a dining room wall:

The current Sargent Welch version of the Henry Hubbard Periodic Table:

ADOMAH Periodic Table by Valery Tsimmerman

The ADOMAH periodic table is based on the Janet or left-step periodic table. It consists of four blocks (s, p, d & f) corresponding to quantum numbers l = 0,1,2,3. Blocks are separated, shifted and reconnected with each other via diagonal lines. This arrangement creates "layers" or "strata" that retain continuity in respect to atomic number Z, in addition to usual columns and rows. Therefore, numbers shown on the right hand side of the table may represent either quantum numbers n (electronic shells) if horizontal rows are followed, or n + l if "layers" or "strata" are followed.

This feature assists in creation of electronic configurations of the elements. Elements H and He are placed in two positions that reflect their dual nature and give proper consideration to atomic structure and chemical properties of those two elements. This feature also preserves triads He, Ne, Ar and H, F, Cl. Also, the elements are placed in rectangular "boxes", so any two of such "boxes" make up a square thus symbolising electron pairs. This also cuts table length in half. Unlike the Janet table, this table is assembled from bottom up in direction of increase of quantum number n, as well as atomic weight and energy. The ADOMAH table has symmetry and, assuming total number of elements 120, can be divided in four parts of 30 elements with center point located among precious metals. Valery Tsimmerman, P.E.

A Spiral Periodic Table by Prof. Thoedor Benfey.

The Mayan Periodic Table:

Read more and buy the poster and T-Shirts at MayanPeriodic.com.

The Wikipedia Alternative Periodic Table

On the Wikipedia there is another circular form of periodic table:

The Cyclical Continuum of Elemental Properties Periodic Table by Robert R. Northup

"The Cyclical Continuum of Elemental Properties is a user-friendly teaching tool that is intended to accompany the Periodic Table of Elements. Hydrogen is shown at the center, atomic numbers and symbols form an unbroken spiral, and element groups 1 through 18 (noble gases, alkali metals, halogens, etc.) are displayed by colored arcs. Beginning chemistry students can visually see the continuity of atomic numbers in the Cyclical Continuum as a way to introduce and orient them to the Periodic Table. Advanced chemistry students can test their understanding of the Periodic Table's organization by applying that knowledge to interpretation of the Cyclical Continuum."

Read more and buy the poster at the Cyclical Continuum web site.

A Physicist's Periodic Table by Timothy Stowe.

The Dufour Periodictree periodic table, from here:

AtomFlowers

A periodic table that gives a representation of the electron orbitals that look like flowers:

Henry Bent's detailed exploration into the Left-Step formulation of the periodic table is available as a book:

A Vertical Periodic Table, in part shown below, is from apsidium.com:

A Cylinder With Bulges

John Denker fully discusses the logic behind a three dimensional periodic table that he describes as a "cylinder with bulges", here:

Helical Periodic Table

Tarquin Publications sell a make-your-own three dimensional, helical periodic table, here.

Periodic Table of Electron Overjumps

Here are some origional periodic table ideas, including history and electron overjumpings by Oleg Aleksandrov, from here.

The Rota Periodic Table

A new periodic table formulation by James Rota here.

Rafael Poza Periodic Table (Click to Enlarge)

Cement Chemists Cubic Periodic Table (Model)

Click here for large image.

Pyramid Periodic Table (Model)

Click here for large image.

Kimyaokulu Periodic Table

San Le's Periodic Table

Click here for the full size version, and here for a discussion about this formulation.

The 'Perfect' Periodic Table

A new formulation of the ADOMAH PT (above) by Valery Tsimmerman from here:

Spherical Periodic Table

Unfortunately, this wonderful formulation from a Union Carbide advertisement (1960) does not work; it is not (in this author's opinion) possible to wrap the PT onto a sphere:

Elephant Periodic Table

And neither can the periodic table be mapped to an elephant...

Source Information about various types of PT representation can be found in:

Carmen Giunta of Le Moyne College Department of Chemistry has collected many of the original papers plus commentary dealing with eighteenth and nineteenth century science in a web book called Elements and Atoms: Case Studies in the Development of Chemistry. This web resource is highly recommended:

Dave Trapp has an excellent discussion of the development of the periodic table on his Development of the Periodic Chart pages, part of his Sequim Science web site.

J. W. van Spronsen, The Periodic System of Chemical Elements: A History of the First Hundred Years, Elsevier 1969.

Edward Mazurs, Graphical Representations of The Periodic System During 100 Years, University of Alabama Press, 1974.

1934: Three Periodic Table Formulation Review Papers by Quam & Quam
Short Periodic Tables.pdf
Medium Periodic Tables.pdf
Spiral, Helical & Misc Periodic Tables.pdf

D. H Rouvray and R. B. King (ed.), The Periodic Table: Into the 21st Century, Research Studies Press 2004.

Eric Scerri, The Periodic Table: Its Story and Its Significance, Oxford University Press, 2006. Read an interview with the author, here.

Peter van der Krogt's Elementymology & Elements Multidict, the web site for element names, origins (etymology) of element names and translations into other languages.

Periodic Tables of the Elements in Two Hundred Languages.

Dave Trapp also has a web site dealing with the origin of the names of the elements:

A Chinese periodic table, here:

OK, So Which Is The Best Formulation of The Periodic Table?

Personally as a reaction chemist, my preferred periodic table is the 'long' form shown below, with hydrogen above and between boron and carbon, although clearly other scientists have other ideas.

All periodic tables show the increase in mass and atomic number, Z, but only the long form unambiguously shows the general top-right-to-bottom-left trends in electronegativity, atomic radius, metallic properties and first ionisation energy.

Electronegativity is absolutely crucial to the understanding of structure, bonding, material type (van Arkel-Ketelaar triangle and Laing tetrahedron) and chemical reactivity, and it underpins much of the chemogenesis analysis.

Summary

It is quite fine that other scientists have their own ideas about the formulation of the periodic table. The PT is an extraordinary object in science space, and anyone is free to have their own view about its form and significance.

Read about how data is mapped to the periodic table on the next page, here.

© Mark R. Leach 1999-2008

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