Is there an 'element zero'? Mendeleev thought so! (spoiler alert: he was wrong!)

Professor Davis discusses the history of the non-existent element commonly called 'coronium'.
Learn more about the periodic table from Professor Davis here:
DVD: www.thegreatcourses.com/cours...
Streaming: www.wondrium.com/understandin...
Find more fascinating historical periodic tables here:
www.meta-synthesis.com/webboo...

[@julienguyen7453]

You mentioned that it was believed that there was an "element zero" because of the characteristics of the solar corona, which were soon to be disproved. This disproves that there was no element zero present in the solar corona, but can this disprove that there definitely isn't an element 0? In other words, can the absence of a substance in one place rule out its existence? Mendeleev often left open spots on his periodic table (eg; eka-aluminum (gallium)) and he was right about that...

[@ChemSurvival]

Mendeleev's genius was to trust in the table and look for GAPS were he could INTERPOLATE elements' properties (like eka-silicon and eka-aluminum). In the 'element zero' case, he was looking OUTSIDE of the order of the table and EXTRAPOLATING... always a trickier proposition, but understandable for him considering the success he already had enjoyed with gallium and germanium. We can forgive him for this because the structure of the atom was not understood in his day (people were still arguing about the plumb-pudding model of that atom at the time of his death!). It wasn't until 1913 (five years after Mendeleev's death) that Henry Moseley measured nuclear charges on the elements and realized that all nuclear charges were an integer multiple of hydrogen's nuclear charge. It was then that it became clear that hydrogen was the fundamental element and that nothing smaller could be expected to exist on the table!

[@julienguyen7453]

@@ChemSurvival Thanks for the reply, Prof!

[@stibiumowl]

Acording to Wikipedia, one could consider the free neutron radiation as TRUE "Element Zero". It is unstable, but it isn't quite proven that no heavier, more stable isotopes exist. At least, there are neutron stars that COULD be intepreted as such isotopes.

[@TrueMathSquare]

I like on how you ruled it out completely when in theory it should exist in neutron stars and would be radio active. That is like claiming that E-119 does not exist because we haven't seen it.

[@louis9579]

This is a very interesting channel I've come across.
Thank you for this good content, professor Davis!

[@ChemSurvival]

Thanks for the comment, Louis! I'm glad you are enjoying the videos. Don't forget to like and share them with your friends to help me get the word out that I'm back at it!

[@louis9579]

@@ChemSurvival Definitely! Your channels very underrated.

[@markdoolan2527]

So pure solvated electrons is element zero ?

[@techneti_um]

Everyone knows element 0 is Goo, as discovered by the brilliant Professor E. Gadd

[@vecblen]

Nice video Sir

[@julienguyen7453]

Very interesting!!! Never knew this

[@sirthinksalot540]

IMO bitcoin would fit nicely into the element 0 box.