EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -law of octaves, in chemistry, the generalization made by the English chemist J.A.R. Newlands in 1865 that, if the chemical elements are arranged according to increasing atomic weight, those with similar physical and chemical properties occur after each interval of seven elements.

Detailed explanation-2: -In the year 1864, the British chemist John Newlands attempted the 62 elements known at that time. He arranged them in an ascending order based on their atomic masses and observed that every 8th element had similar properties. On the basis of this observation, Newland’s law of octaves was formulated.

Detailed explanation-3: -The first person to devise a table of chemical elements, arranged in order of their relative atomic mass, was local chemist John Newlands. Born in Elephant and Castle, Newlands is one of the three, great nineteenth century scientists associated with our neighbourhood.

Detailed explanation-4: -Newland’s Law of Octaves states that when Elements are arranged in increasing order of Atomic Mass, the properties of every eighth Element starting from any Element are a repetition of the properties of the starting Element.

Detailed explanation-5: -He observed that when elements were arranged to increase atomic masses, there was much similarity in the properties of every eighth element like the musical notes do, re, me, etc. Newland named this repetition as the law of octaves.