Jul 16, 2026 · 20 min · 12 segments
In 1875, French chemist Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran discovered the element 'Gallium' after isolating it from a zinc blende ore. However, shortly after his publication, he received word from a…
Within a month, Boisbaudron had isolated one gram of this new substance from several hundred kilograms of crude zinc blend ore.
When describing its properties and how it strongly resembled that of aluminum, Boisbaudron noted its density to be roughly four point seven grams per cubic centimeter.
It was published under the name M.D. Mendeleev, who had claimed that he had predicted such an element to exist nearly five years earlier and had named it eka-aluminum.
Not only that, but he predicted its density to be five point nine grams per cubic centimeter, directly contradicting the measurements made by Boisbaudron.
This prompted the French chemist to return to the lab, determined to defend his gallium and uncover the truth.
After a few more months of experimentation with his newly discovered metal, Boisbaudron responded in Annals of Chemistry and Physics in January of 1877, saying, "I then operated on a single ingot of pure gallium weighing about fifty-eight centigrams, formed by the union of the six samples mentioned above.
The density of this ingot I found to be at plus twenty-three degrees.
First experiment, five point nine.
Second experiment, five point nine seven.
Mean, five point nine three five.
Mr. Mendeleev’s prevision is thus completely verified." But just how was this possible? How could someone have predicted an element they had never before seen? This is the story of the development of the periodic table.
Within a month, Boisbaudron had isolated one gram of this new substance from several hundred kilograms of crude zinc blend ore.
When describing its properties and how it strongly resembled that of aluminum, Boisbaudron noted its density to be roughly four point seven grams per cubic centimeter.
It was published under the name M.D. Mendeleev, who had claimed that he had predicted such an element to exist nearly five years earlier and had named it eka-aluminum.
Not only that, but he predicted its density to be five point nine grams per cubic centimeter, directly contradicting the measurements made by Boisbaudron.
This prompted the French chemist to return to the lab, determined to defend his gallium and uncover the truth.
After a few more months of experimentation with his newly discovered metal, Boisbaudron responded in Annals of Chemistry and Physics in January of 1877, saying, "I then operated on a single ingot of pure gallium weighing about fifty-eight centigrams, formed by the union of the six samples mentioned above.
The density of this ingot I found to be at plus twenty-three degrees.
First experiment, five point nine.
Second experiment, five point nine seven.
Mean, five point nine three five.
Mr. Mendeleev’s prevision is thus completely verified." But just how was this possible? How could someone have predicted an element they had never before seen? This is the story of the development of the periodic table.
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