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To understand Eka-Boron, Eka-Aluminium, and Eka-Silicon, we need to know about a renowned scientist, Dmitri Mendeleev. He is the one who created the first version of the modern periodic table.
When Mendeleev arranged elements based on their atomic masses, he noticed something interesting: elements with similar properties appeared at regular intervals. Mendeleev has its prediction on elements.
Mendeleev left blank spaces in his periodic table where he thought undiscovered elements would go. He used the prefix “Eka-” (from Sanskrit, meaning “one”) to name these elements. For example:
- Eka-Boron: one place below boron
- Eka-Aluminium: one place below aluminium
- Eka-Silicon: one place below silicon
He predicted their properties based on the elements above them in the periodic table. And when these undiscovered elements were discovered later, they were very similar to what Mendeleev had predicted.
Now, let’s understand Eka-Boron, Eka-Aluminium and Eka-Silicon one by one:
1. Eka-Boron: Mendeleev placed it below boron in Group 13. Later, it was discovered and named scandium (Sc). Scandium had many similar properties to boron, just as Mendeleev had predicted.
2. Eka-Aluminium: He placed this element just below aluminium in Group 13. It was discovered later and named gallium (Ga). Gallium has properties like a low melting point and reacts like aluminium. It matched Mendeleev’s predictions almost exactly!
3. Eka-Silicon: This element came below silicon in Group 14. It was later discovered as germanium (Ge). Germanium showed properties like silicon and was used in electronics and semiconductors.
The table below will help you to understand about these elements in an easy way:
| Eka-Name | Actual Element | Group | Resembles |
| Eka-Boron | Scandium (Sc) | 3 | Boron |
| Eka-Aluminium | Gallium (Ga) | 13 | Aluminium |
| Eka-Silicon | Germanium (Ge) | 14 | Silicon |
Let’s look at why understanding these elements is important for students.
- Mendeleev’s predictions showed that the periodic table is not random; it follows a logical pattern.
- It helped scientists believe in the periodic law, even before all elements were discovered.
- Today, the periodic table is one of the most powerful tools in chemistry.
Common Doubts of Chemistry:
