Implication of Music in Chemistry: The Periodic Table

Abstract

In 1864, Sir John Newlands (a scientist and a lover of music) arranged elements in ascending order of their atomic masses and found that every 8th element with similar properties was a repetition of the first element like the 8th note of an octave of music. He called this arrangement Newlands’ octave. This octave law was the first logical attempt to classify elements on the basis of their atomic weights and periodicity of elements was recognized for the first time. For his work he received the Davy medal in 1887. In Newlands’ atomic table, application of musical octave law created some problems; but at the same time, his profound knowledge in music and application of musical law caused some advancement to the development of the periodic table which we can see now.