How did the study of the atom contribute to our understanding of the periodic table of the elements?

Question

A. Elements are made of atoms, so understanding atoms provided information about elements, which led to the organization of the periodic table
B. The determination of electron charge led to an understanding of how atoms interact with one another, which facilitated the organization of the periodic table
C. Experiments that identified characteristics of atoms provided scientists with atomic weights and atomic numbers, which are used to organize the periodic table
D. Atoms are representative of elements, so scientists scaled up to atomic characteristics to understand elemental characteristics, allowing scientists to arrange elements in a periodic table.

Answer 1

The study of the atom has significantly contributed to our understanding of the periodic table of elements through multiple interconnected discoveries. However, among the options presented, the most comprehensive and correct answer is:

C. Experiments that identified characteristics of atoms provided scientists with atomic weights and atomic numbers, which are used to organize the periodic table.

This choice effectively highlights how the determination of specific atomic properties, such as atomic weights (which were crucial in early versions of the periodic table) and atomic numbers (which later became the basis for the modern periodic table), allowed scientists to categorize and arrange the elements based on their fundamental characteristics.