All the discoveries of Mendeleyev

Russian scientist Dmitry Mendeleev (1834-1907) is best known for his periodic law of chemical elements, on the basis of which he built a table familiar to every person from the school's bench. However, in fact, the great scientist was interested in a wide range of fields of knowledge. Mendeleev's discoveries are connected with chemistry, physics, metrology, economics, geology, pedagogy, aeronautics, and so on.

Periodic Law

Periodic law is one of the fundamental laws of nature. It consists in the fact that the properties of chemical elements depend on their atomic weight. Mendeleev discovered the periodic law in 1869. The scientific revolution that he accomplished was not immediately realized by chemists.

The Russian researcher proposed a regular system, with which it was possible to predict unknown chemical elements and even their properties. After their early discovery (we are talking about gallium, germanium and scandium), scientists with a world name began to recognize the fundamental nature of the periodic law.

Mendeleev's discoveries occurred in an era when science was replenished with new and disparate facts about the world around us. Because of this, the periodic law and the periodic table of elements constructed on its basis faced serious challenges. For example, in the 1890's. Noble gases and the phenomenon of radioactivity were discovered. Defending his theory, Mendeleev continued to improve the table, correlating it with all the new scientific facts. In 1900 the chemist placed argon, helium and their analogues in a separate zero group. Over time, the fundamental nature of the periodic law has become increasingly clear and indisputable, and today it is rightfully considered one of the greatest discoveries in the history of the natural sciences.

Studies of silicates

Periodic law is an extremely important page in the history of science, but Mendeleev's discoveries in the field of chemistry have not ended there. In 1854 he investigated the Finnish orthotype and pyroxene. Also one of the cycles of Mendeleyev's works is devoted to the chemistry of silicates. In 1856, the scientist published his thesis "Specific volumes" (in it the relationship between the volume of a substance and its characteristics was estimated). In the chapter devoted to silica compounds, Dmitry Ivanovich dwelled in detail on the nature of silicates. In addition, he was the first to give a correct interpretation of the phenomenon of vitreous state.

Gases

Early discoveries of Mendeleev were associated with yet another chemical and at the same time physical topic - the study of gases. The scientist engaged in it, deepened in the search for the causes of the law of periodicity. In the XIX century in this field of science the leading was the theory of the "world ether" - an all-pervasive environment through which heat, light and gravity are transmitted.

Studying this hypothesis, the Russian researcher came to several important conclusions. Thus, Mendeleyev's discoveries in physics were made, the main of which was the emergence of the equation of an ideal gas with a universal gas constant. In addition, Dmitry Ivanovich proposed his own thermodynamic temperature scale.

In total, Mendeleev published 54 works on gases and liquids. The most famous in this series were The Experience of the Chemical Concept of the World Ether (1904) and The Attempt of the Chemical Understanding of the World Ether (1905). In his works, the scientist used virial exposition and thereby laid the foundations of modern equations for real gases.

Solutions

Solutions interested Dmitry Mendeleyev throughout his scientific career. Concerning this topic, the researcher did not leave a complete theory, but limited himself to several principal theses. The most important points regarding solutions he considered their relation to compounds, chemistry and chemical equilibrium in solutions.

All Mendeleyev's discoveries were tested by experiments. Some of them concerned the boiling point of solutions. Thanks to a detailed analysis of the topic, Mendeleev in 1860 came to the conclusion that, by passing to boiling in steam, the liquid loses the heat of evaporation and the surface of tension down to zero value. Also, Dmitry Ivanovich's teaching on solutions influenced the development of the theory of solutions of electrolytes.

Mendeleev was critical of the theory that appeared in his time about electrolytic dissociation. Without denying the very concept, the scientist pointed to the need for its refinement, which was directly related to his work on chemical solutions.

Contribution to aeronautics

Dmitry Mendeleev, whose discoveries and achievements cover a wide range of areas of human knowledge, were interested not only in theoretical subjects, but also in applied inventions. The end of the XIX century was marked by a heightened interest in the emerging aeronautics. Of course, the Russian scholar could not but pay attention to this symbol of the future. In 1875, he created a project for his own stratosphere. Theoretically, the device could rise even into the upper atmospheric layers. In practice, the first such flight occurred only fifty years later.

Another invention of Mendeleyev was a balloon working on engines. Aeronautics interested the scientist not least in connection with his other works related to meteorology and gases. In 1887 Mendeleyev made an experimental flight on a balloon. The balloon managed to cover a distance of 100 kilometers at an altitude of almost 4 kilometers. During the flight, the chemist received a gold medal from the Academy of Aerostatic Meteorology of France. In his monograph on the problems of environmental resistance Mendeleev dedicated one of the sections to aeronautics, in which he described in detail his views on this topic. The scientist was interested in the developments of the pioneer of aviation Alexander Mozhaisky.

The development of the North and shipbuilding

Applied Mendeleyev's discoveries, the list of which can be continued in the field of shipbuilding, was made in cooperation with research geographic expeditions. Thus, Dmitry Ivanovich was the first to propose the idea of an experimental basin, an experimental setup necessary for hydromechanical studies of ship models. In the implementation of this idea, the scientist was helped by Admiral Stepan Makarov. On the one hand, the pool was needed for trade and military-technical purposes, but at the same time it was useful for science. The experimental setup was launched in 1894.

Among other things, Mendeleyev designed an early prototype of the icebreaker. The scientist was included in the commission, which selected the project for state appropriation of the world's first such ship. They were the icebreaker Ermak, launched in 1898. Mendeleyev studied seawater (including its density). The material for study was provided to him by the same Admiral Makarov, who was on a round-the-world trip on the "Vityaz". Mendeleev's discoveries in geography related to the theme of the conquest of the North were presented to the scientist in more than 36 published works.

Metrology

In addition to other sciences, Mendeleev was interested in metrology - the science of means and methods of measurement. The scientist worked on the creation of new methods of weighing. As a chemist, he was a supporter of chemical methods of measurement. Mendeleev's discoveries, the list of which was replenished year after year, were not only scientific, but also literal - in 1893 Dmitry Ivanovich opened the Main Chamber of Weights and Measures of Russia. He also invented his own design of the lock and the rocker arm.

Pyrocollodic powder

In 1890 Dmitry Mendeleyev went on a long overseas business trip, the purpose of which was to get acquainted with foreign laboratories for the development of explosives. The scientist engaged in this subject with the submission of the state. In the naval ministry he was offered to contribute to the development of the Russian powder business. The initiator of Mendeleyev's trip was vice-admiral Nikolai Chikhachev.

Mendeleyev believed that in the domestic porodelia, the most important thing is to develop the economic and industrial sides. He also insisted on using exclusively Russian raw materials. The main result of Dmitry Mendeleyev's work in this sphere was the development in 1892 of a new pyrocollodic powder, which was distinguished by its lack of smoke. Military specialists highly appreciated the quality of this explosive. A feature of pyrocollodic powder was its composition, which included the susceptible solubility of nitrocellulose. Preparing for the production of new gunpowder, Mendeleev wanted to give him a stabilized gas formation. To do this, additional reagents were used in the manufacture of the explosive, including all additives.

Economy

At first glance, Mendeleyev's discoveries in biology or metrology are not at all related to his image as a renowned chemist. However even more remote from this science were the researches of the scientist, devoted to the economy. In them, Dmitry Ivanovich examined in detail the directions of development of the economy of his country. In 1867, he joined the first domestic association of entrepreneurs - the Society for the Promotion of Russian Industry and Trade.

Mendeleev saw the future of the economy in the development of independent artels and communities. This progress involved concrete reforms. For example, the scientist proposed to make the community not just an agricultural one, but a busy factory activity in the winter, when fields are empty. Dmitry Ivanovich opposed resale and any forms of speculation. In 1891, he participated in the development of a new Customs Tariff.

Protectionism and Demography

Mendeleev, whose discoveries in the field of chemistry are eclipsed by his successes in the humanities, conducted all his economic studies with the quite practical goal of helping Russia. In this connection, the scientist was a consistent protectionist (which, for example, was reflected in his work in the field of porcelain production and his letters to Tsar Nicholas II).

Mendeleev studied economics inseparably from demography. Shortly before his death, in one of his works, he noted that in 2050 the population of Russia would be 800 million people. The prognosis of the scientist became a utopia after two world and civil wars, repressions and other cataclysms that hit the country in the XX century.

The refutation of spiritualism

In the second half of the XIX century, Russia, like the rest of the world, embraced fashion for mysticism. Esotericism was fascinated by the representatives of the high society, bohemians and ordinary city dwellers. Meanwhile, Mendeleev's discoveries in chemistry, the list of which consists of many points, overshadow his long struggle with popular then spiritualism.

The scientist exposed the tricks of mediums, along with associates from the Russian physical society. With the help of a series of experiments with manometric and pyramidal tables, as well as other instruments of hypnotists, Mendeleev came to the conclusion that spiritualism and similar practices are just superstitions, on which profiteers and fraudsters profit.