Geospheric chart of the elements

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the geospheric chart of elements as presented in a recent Discover magazine, categorizing elements into five regions: crust & mantle, soil, organismic, oceanic, and atmospheric. Participants express a preference for the traditional periodic table, which organizes elements by proton number and mass, highlighting trends in chemical properties based on column placement. Key insights include the behavior of noble gases, halogens, and alkaline metals, as well as the classification of elements based on their outer electron orbitals. The conversation suggests that a layer-based table may provide additional insights for Earth scientists regarding elemental interactions and planetary systems.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of the periodic table and its structure
  • Knowledge of elemental properties and trends
  • Familiarity with electron configurations and orbitals
  • Basic concepts of geochemistry and planetary science
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the implications of electron configurations on chemical reactivity
  • Explore the relationship between elemental distribution and planetary systems
  • Investigate the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram and its connection to elemental evolution
  • Examine the role of geospheric elements in Earth's cycles and systems
USEFUL FOR

Earth scientists, chemists, educators, and anyone interested in the relationships between elemental properties and planetary systems.

Loren Booda
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In a recent Discover magazine, the known elements were shown attributable to five geospheric regions: crust & mantle, soil, organismic, oceanic, and atmospheric. Does your natural philosophy favor this distinction or the structure of the more traditional periodic chart?
 
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I favour the current periodic table because the current periodic table is very informative.

The chart is listed in order of how many protons the element has (which basically also means in order of mass). If you are to find an element with an expected mass of 123g/mol, you can find where it should be located on the table.

Rows indicate electron energy levels.

Elements in the same column are very similar and follow a trend. If you know the properties of 1 element, you can guess the properties of the other elements in the same column.
All of the noble gases (column on the right) are non reactive.
All of the halogens (second from the right) are fairly strong oxidizers; halogens higher on the table are stronger oxidizers.
Alkaline metals in column1 are all very strong reducers, they get stronger as you move down the table.
All alkaline metals, when thrown in water, create a strong base and hydrogen gas.
Copper, silver, and gold are all in the same column where copper is the top, gold is the bottom. Copper is the strongest reducer, gold is the weakest.

The table is broken into groups based on what the outer electron orbitals are. Alkaline metals and alkaline Earth's are S orbitals. Transition metals are D orbitals. Non-metals are P orbitals,. Lanthanides and actinides are F orbitals.


Could some layer based table brake it down into a more informative way?
 
I think this novel breakdown is most useful for Earth scientists. It apparently ties into the development and cycles of our planet's systems. The connections between elements there may be more subtle and general than, but eventually related to, those of the periodic chart.

Can anyone see a similar application in the evolution of elements located in specific parts of the universe, say on the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram?
 

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