Question

What are the atomic weights of Aka Silicon and Germanium?

(a) 72, 72.6

(b) 68, 70

(c) 70, 72

(d) 68, 72.6

This question was posed to me in homework.

Enquiry is from Genesis of Periodic Classification topic in portion Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties of Chemistry – Class 11

Answer 1

Correct option is (a) 72, 72.6

Easy explanation: At the time of Mendeleev, Germanium was not discovered. So he predicted Germanium’s properties and left a space for it, by naming it Aka Silicon. So he predicted Aka silicon’s atomic weight as 70, but the Germanium’s atomic weight is 72.