TPO 16-2 Development of the Periodic Table

The phrase interplay in the passage is closest in meaning to

• sequence

• interpretation

• requirement

• interaction

According to paragraph 1, what pattern did scientists notice when the known elements were written in order of increasing atomic mass?

• The elements of the group of alkali metals were the first elements in the order of increasing atomic mass.

• Repetition of the same atomic masses for

  elements in different groups appeared.

• Elements with similar chemical properties

  appeared in the listing at regular intervals.

• Elements were chemically most similar to those just before and after them in the order.

In paragraph 2, what is the author's purpose in presenting the information about the decision by Meyer and Mendeleyev to leave gaps in the periodic table?

• To illustrate their confidence that the organizing principles of the periodic table would govern the occurrence of all chemical elements

• To indicate that some of their analyses of

  periodic physical and chemical properties were later found to be wrong

• To support the idea that they were unwilling to place new elements in the periodic table

• To indicate how they handled their

  disagreement about where to place new

  elements

What reason does the author provide for the claim that Mendeleyev was bolder than Meyer?

• Mendeleyev corrected incorrect information

  Meyer had proposed.

• Mendeleyev assumed that some information

  believed to be true about the elements was

  incorrect.

• Mendeleyev argued that Meyer had not left

  enough gaps in the periodic table.

• Mendeleyev realized that elements were not

  ordered by atomic mass in the periodic table.

According to paragraph 2, why did Mendeleyev suggest changing the atomic mass of indium?

• Because indium did not fit into the periodic

  table in the place predicted by its atomic mass.

• Because there was experimental evidence that the atomic mass that had been assigned to indium was incorrect.

• Because there was an empty space between

  cadmium and tin in the periodic table.

• Because the chemical properties of indium

  were similar to those of arsenic and selenium.

It can be inferred from paragraph 2 that tellurium comes before iodine in the periodic table even though tellurium's atomic mass is slightly greater because

• iodine is less common than tellurium

• both iodine and tellurium have no isotopes

• the chemical behavior of tellurium is highly

  variable

• the atomic number of tellurium is smaller than

  that of iodine

The phrase “abundance” in the passage is closest in meaning to

• weight

• requirement

• plenty

• sequence

The phrase “analogous to” in the passage is closest in meaning to

• predicted by

• expected of

• similar to

• superior to

Paragraph 3 suggests that Mendeleyev predicted the properties of eka-aluminum on the basis of

• the atomic mass of aluminum

• the position of the gap in the periodic table that eka-aluminum was predicted to fill

• the similarity of eka-aluminum to the other five missing elements

• observation of the properties of gallium

It can be inferred from paragraph 3 that the significance of the discovery of gallium was that it supported which of the following?

• The idea that aluminum was correctly placed in

  the periodic table.

• Mendeleyev's prediction that eka-silicon would be discovered next.

• The organizing principle of the periodic table.

• The idea that unknown elements existed.