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Swaveda - Articles - The Chemist and the Grammarian: Mendelee...
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By Subhash Kak | Jun 01, 2005
Solid state electronics, which has revolutionized modern life, arises from the unique properties of silicon and germanium in that their electrical properties change dramatically when in their crystal lattices substituted atoms are introduced. Another widely used solid state material is gallium which is used in light emitting diodes and other devices. It is an amusing sidelight of history of chemistry that the original names of gallium and germani...
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| Comments | Anand Ramanujan Jul 17, 2004 - 21:25 PM (PT) [ 1 of 8 ]
I wonder why Mendeleev's suggested names for these yet-undiscovered elements was not taken up? Usually, don't inventors/discoverers have the first digs and naming their inventions/discoveries?
tyger tyger Jul 18, 2004 - 16:41 PM (PT) [ 2 of 8 ]
###I wonder why Mendeleev's suggested names for these yet-undiscovered elements was not taken up?###
Perhaps, because inventors/discoverers have the first digs at naming their inventions/discoveries...
Mendeleev invented the periodic table, not the elements. But, since his table was periodic, he could predict the existence of as-yet undiscovered elements.
Anand Ramanujan Jul 18, 2004 - 16:54 PM (PT) [ 3 of 8 ]
Yes - I get that. But people who predict existence of comets/planets based on observing surrounding stars, etc get to name their "discoveries." One would think Mendeleev would get to name at least one of the elements he predicted. I'm not suggesting a "conspiracy" theory here -- would just be interesting to know how the present names for these "then-missing" elements came about....
tyger tyger Jul 18, 2004 - 17:27 PM (PT) [ 4 of 8 ]
The naming process for chemical elements seems to be complicated. Since about 1920 (after Mendeleev's time) the IUPAC's been doing this job. But they usually accept the names given by the discoverers. And these names were either derivatives of latin or greek words (usually indicating their properties), or proper names of scientists, etc.
So I think all this gets sorted out b/w the discoverers and the IUPAC. Mendeleev being neither, he seems to have been left out of negotiations. But atleast, he's got an element named after him now...
tyger tyger Jul 18, 2004 - 17:33 PM (PT) [ 5 of 8 ]
Informative site: http://www.ktf-split.hr/periodni/en/
Anand Ramanujan Jul 19, 2004 - 09:21 AM (PT) [ 6 of 8 ]
tygertyger: Thanks for the info. I appreciate it.
tyger tyger Jul 22, 2004 - 16:23 PM (PT) [ 7 of 8 ]
Anand, you're welcome. On re-reading, my first post seems mocking/rude.. apologies for that, didn't mean it to.
Narayanan Komerath Aug 09, 2004 - 15:45 PM (PT) [ 8 of 8 ]
Simple question: What are the Russian and Latin words for "lone", "double" and "triple"?
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