Chemical Education Today

Letters

The Role of Triads
Since 2004, Eric Scerri has championed at least three differ-
ent arrangements for the periodic table (1–3). Now in a recent
article (4), he presents his new proposed arrangement of the
periodic table as his Figure 3 (reproduced as Figure 1, below).
This is a left-step-Janet table with H and He moved from above
Li and Be to above F and Ne. Scerri is quite clear about his
criterion for pursuing this arrangement: it gives a “completely
new perfect triad (H, F, Cl)” (4, p 588). He applies the term
“perfect” to triads in which the atomic number of the middle
element is exactly one half of the sum of the atomic numbers of
the first and third elements. An example of a perfect triad is the
classic case of Cl, Br, I.
But surely this triad (H, F, Cl) is not “new”; there have been
many periodic tables over the years with H above F and Cl, as
well as He above Ne. What is important is the number of “per-
fect” triads that are within the table. It is immediately obvious
in Figure 1 that with the lanthanoids jutting out to the left, no
triads are possible for elements La to Yb. One can try Sc (21),
Y (39), Lu (71). It fails. One can try Sc (21), Y (39), La (57).
This is a “perfect” triad. Does this perhaps suggest a table with a
different arrangement of the elements?
One can try the halogens: F (9), Cl (17), Br (35). This fails.
Is there a different third element El (Z)? Try F (9), Cl (17), El
(Z). Z is (2 × 17) − 9 = 25. The element is manganese: a metal!
Is this crazy? Not at all. Mn(VII) is tetrahedral permanganate,
isostructural with perchlorate, both being oxidizing agents. This
triad places Mn directly below Cl, which also calls for a table
with a different arrangement. In fact this is the arrangement of
elements in the 1871 periodic table of Dmitri Mendeleev, and it
is seen again in his table of 1905 and in the 1934 Periodic Table
Monument in St. Petersburg (see ref 5 for an image of this and
brief discussion). Of course, this set of three elements does not
satisfy the spirit of Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner’s triads that
the elements should show a smooth gradation in physical and
chemical properties. (But is that true of H, F, Cl?)
Recently Sami Ibrahim (6) has shown nicely how to esti-
mate atomic weights of the trans-lawrencium elements starting
with Y, Lu, and Lr, and ending at Z = 118. Here the triad con-
cept is stepping out of the confines of the periodic table as it is
currently arranged.
Mendeleev also used a horizontal triad to give him in-
formation when he set out to predict the properties of the (as
yet) undiscovered elements: Eka-B, Eka-Al, Eka-Si. He in fact
discussed his technique using the horizontal triad As, Se, Br
as an example to estimate the atomic weight of selenium (4).
He also grouped the metals Fe, Co, Ni and their congeners in
threes as “transition” elements in group VIII, and these metals
are specifically labeled “TRIADS” (“ТРИАДЫ”) in Figure 6
of ref 5. One can try a horizontal triad among the lanthanoid
metals: La (57), Gd (64), Lu (71). This is a “perfect” triad, and
it reflects the physical properties of these metals.
As a final example, consider Mn (25), Tc (43), El (Z). Z
is (2 × 43) − 25 = 61 This element is Pm, which—like Tc—is
radioactive, and does not exist in nature, and falls directly below
Tc. This triad predicted something quite unexpected. None of
the triads that are described above exist in the “new proposed
periodic table” (see Figure 1). Worse still, the left-step-Janet lay-
out has chemically similar elements widely separated. Consider
Mg and Zn, Al and Sc, and of course Be, Al, Ti (7).

H He Li Be 1,2
B C N O F Ne Na Mg 3
Al Si P S Cl Ar K Ca 4
Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr Rb Sr 5
Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I Xe Cs Ba 6
La Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn Fr Ra 7
Ac Th Pa U Np Pu Am Cm Bk Cf Es Fm Md No Lr Rf Db Sg Bh Hs Mt Ds Rg 8
Figure 1. The modified left-step-Janet table, which is Figure 3 in reference 4. The rightmost numbers are values of n + ℓ for each period (not
principal quantum numbers).

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 Chemical Education Today

Letters

H H He
1 1 2
He Li Be B C N O F Li Be B C N O F Ne
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Ne Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Na Mg Al Si P S Cl Ar
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Ar K Ca Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr
Figure 2. A periodic table with the lanthanoids
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 repositioned and incorporated into the body of the
Kr Rb Sr Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I Xe table. The series Li to F and Na to Cl and the inert
36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 gases are duplicated, thus increasing the number
Xe Cs Ba La Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm of patterns linking the chemical properties of the
54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 elements.
Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm
63 64 65 66 67 68 69
Yb Lu Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn
70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86
Rn Fr Ra Ac Th Pa U Np Pu
86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94
Am Cm Bk Cf Es Fm Md
95 96 97 98 99 100 101
No Lr Rf Db Sg Bh Hs Mt
102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 114

There is a periodic table in the literature (8) that does
have in it all of the above triads (as well as the classical diagonal
relationship, which is entirely missing from the left-step-Janet
arrangement). This periodic table is shown here as Figure 2. The
triads F, Cl, Mn; Sc, Y, La; and Mn, Tc, Pm are there, as are H,
F, Cl; He, Ne, Ar; P, As, Sb; N, P, V; Be, Mg, Ca; Mg, Zn, Cd;
Ca, Sr, Ba; and Sn, Pb, 114. There are more triads, regular and
irregular, even Y, Lu, Lr. Also well positioned are the elements
La, Gd, Lu, as a “perfect” vertical triad, with the melting point
and density of gadolinium falling nicely intermediate between
those of lanthanum and lutetium.
I conclude that there is no perfect ideal periodic table;
you choose the periodic table that shows the most patterns
and relationships and is most useful for your purposes; you get
back from your periodic table what you put into it (9). I am
pleased that Eric Scerri has reminded us of the significance of
the concept of triads, and of their important role in the develop-
ment of the periodic table, and of the power of triads to predict
chemical properties of elements.
Literature Cited
2. Scerri, E. R. The Periodic Table: Its Story and Its Significance;
Oxford University Press: New York, 2007; pp 283–284.
3. Scerri, E. R. American Scientist 2008, 96, 52–58.
4. Scerri, E. R, J. Chem. Educ. 2008, 85, 585–589.
5. Laing, M. J. Chem. Educ. 2008, 85, 63–67.
6. Ibrahim, S. A. J. Chem. Educ. 2005, 82, 1658–1659.
7. Bent, H. A.; Weinhold, F. J. Chem. Educ. 2007, 84, 1145–
1146.
8. Laing, M. Found. Chem. 2005, 7, 203–233.
9. (a) Laing, M. J. Chem. Educ. 1989, 66, 746. (b) Laing, M. J.
Chem. Educ. 2001, 78, 877. (c) Laing, M. Patterns in the Periodic
Table—Old and New. In The Periodic Table: Into the 21st Cen-
tury; Rouvray, D. H., King, R. B., Eds.; Research Studies Press:
Baldock, England, 2004; pp 123–141.
Supporting JCE Online Material
http://www.jce.divched.org/Journal/Issues/2009/Oct/abs1183.html
Abstract and keywords
Full text (PDF)
Links to cited JCE articles

1. Scerri, E. R. The Best Representation for the Periodic System: Michael Laing
The Role of the n + ℓ Rule and of the Concept of an Element as 61 Baines Road
a Basic Substance. In The Periodic Table: Into the 21st Century; Durban 4001, South Africa
Rouvray, D. H., King, R. B., Eds.; Research Studies Press: Bal- Professor Emeritus, University of KwaZulu-Natal
dock, England, 2004; pp 148–152. laingm@eastcoast.co.za

1184 Journal of Chemical Education  •  Vol. 86  No. 10  October 2009  •  www.JCE.DivCHED.org  •  © Division of Chemical Education 

Letters
Response to The Role of Triads:
I am pleased to see how closely Michael Laing has been
following my writings on the periodic table. He begins by sug-
gesting that I have “championed at least three arrangements
for the periodic table”. In fact I supported one arrangement,
the left-step table, in my book (1), but have now changed my
allegiance in favor of a new arrangement of the periodic table,
which I proposed in this Journal (2). As I have stressed repeat-
edly, my concern is with alternative placements of troublesome
elements such as hydrogen and helium and not with mere
changes in shape of the periodic table. Of course I am not the
first to move hydrogen to the halogen group as I acknowledged
in my article (2).
Let me turn to triads. Since the discovery of the periodic
system, which was first hinted at by the discovery of triads of
elements, many chemists have fallen prey to numerological
pitfalls. One example, discussed in my book, was Ernst Lennsen
who believed he had discovered up to 20 triads and even triads
of triads. Most of these claims turned out to be spurious. The
latest victim of this pitfall may be Laing.
In criticizing my proposal of a perfect atomic number triad
involving H, F, Cl, Laing suggests what he regards as many other
viable triads, most of which I regret to say are not even contend-
ers. But first let me explain what I take to be a valid atomic
number triad such as Cl, Br, I. The existence of such triads is in
no way mysterious and follows immediately from the fact that
period lengths occur in pairs, with the exception of the first very
short period (at least in the conventional periodic table). Valid
triads are those that involve three elements, the second and
third of which occur in periods of equal length on a left-step
table. Thus Cl, Br, I form a perfect triad because the “distance”
between chlorine and bromine is 18 elements, as is the distance
between bromine and iodine. It is no surprise therefore that
bromine falls precisely between the atomic numbers of the first
and third member of the triad.
So the fact that Sc (21), Y (39), Lu (71) fail to form a
triad, as Laing points out, is not so startling because Y and Lu
occur in periods of unequal lengths. Alternatively, Y (39), Lu
(71), Lr (103) do form a triad and this is significant because
the second and third members belong to periods with 32 ele-
ments.1 Moreover, Ibrahim’s triads are consistent even if they
involve “stepping out of the confines of the table as it is cur-
rently represented” (4). But it is precisely the representation
of the elements that I am questioning in my article. Moreover,
© Division of Chemical Education  •  www.JCE.DivCHED.org  •  Vol. 86  No. 10  October 2009  •  Journal of Chemical Education
Chemical Education Today
this is surely an inconsistent criticism because Laing goes on to
propose a periodic table that is rather far from what is currently
presented.
Laing also proposes some horizontal triads such as La (57),
Gd (64), Lu (71), which he claims to be physically significant.
But such horizontal triads are also nonstarters because this and
similar examples amount to claiming that [Z + (Z + 14)] ∙ 2 =
Z + 7. Even more trivial would be the suggestion of a horizontal
triad involving C (6), N (7), O (8) because this would be a case
of [Z + (Z + 2)] ∙ 2 = Z + 1. The periodic table that Laing
proposes may well incorporate these triads, which are spurious
in my view, but it does so at a rather high cost given that as many
as 21 elements are permitted to occur in more than one place.
Contrary to Laing’s conclusion I do believe that it is worth
seeking a perfect and ideal periodic table of elements because I
take it that chemical periodicity reflects independently existing
trends in nature rather than merely being an artificial classifica-
tion designed for our convenience and as an aid to teaching
chemistry.
Note
1. This triad also lends support to Jensen’s proposal that group 3
should consist of Sc, Y, Lu, Lr, and not Sc, Y, La, Ac (3).
Literature Cited
1. Scerri, E. R. The Periodic Table: Its Story and Its Significance;
Oxford University Press: New York, 2007.
2. Scerri, E. R. J. Chem. Educ. 2008, 85, 585–589.
3. Jensen, W. B. J. Chem. Educ. 1982, 59, 634–639.
4. Ibrahim, S. A. J. Chem. Educ. 2005, 82, 1658–1659.
Supporting JCE Online Material
http://www.jce.divched.org/Journal/Issues/2009/Oct/abs1185.html
Abstract and keywords
Full text (PDF)
Links to cited JCE articles
Eric Scerri
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA 90095
scerri@chem.ucla.edu
1185