Mendeleev and the Periodic System

    It was July 12, 1849 in Tobolsk, Siberia. Excitedly, the fifteen-year-old Dmitri Mendeleev clutched his high-school graduation certificate. As he studied the document together with his proud mother, Maria, he no-ticed a discrepancy: it read, "Age: 16 years old." His mother nodded, knowingly: "Yes, the regulations do not allow anyone to graduate before age 16, so, rather than holding you back, they changed it—it was my suggestion." Dmitri smiled, "It will allow me to enter university earlier, as well." Dmitri had his hopes set on entering university and building a successful and prosperous life for himself. ...

    Biographies and historical backgrounds

    Filename Date Size / type
    Historical Background: The Development of the Periodic Table 05/05/2021 479 KB (PDF)
    Biography: Mendeleev 05/05/2021 545 KB (PDF)

    Storytelling Resources

    Educational Resources

    Filename Category Date Size / type
    Suggestions to Teachers 05/05/2021 192 KB (PDF)
    Student’s Learning Activities 05/05/2021 232 KB (PDF)

    Historical Materials

    A Primary Sources

    Mendeleyev, Dmitry Ivanovich: The Principles of Chemistry I/II 1891, online available:http://archive.org/details/principleschemi04mendgoog.
    Mendeleyev, Dmitry Ivanovich: The Principles of Chemistry II/II 1891, online available:http://archive.org/details/principleschemi04mendgoog.

    B Secondary Sources

    Gordin, Michael D.: A Well-Ordered Thing: Dmitrii Mendeleev and the Shadow of the Periodic Table, New York 2004.
    Scerri, Eric R: The Periodic Table: Its Story and its Significance, Oxford; New York 2007.
    Strathern, Paul: Mendeleyev’s Dream: The Quest for the Elements, London 2000.

    Filename Size / type
    Story and all resources 2 MB (ZIP)