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Position of Hydrogen in the Periodic System of Elements

Abstract

FOLLOWING Mendeléev's lead, the majority of authors on the subject since his time have represented hydrogen as belonging to the Group I elements. However, there have been some noteworthy exceptions to this representation. Thomsen1 and Bohr2 depicted hydrogen in a central position with a lineage relationship to both the alkali (Group I) and the halogen (Group VII) elements. Remy3 grouped hydrogen as the first member of the halogen series. Ramirez-Torres4 has presented a block form table with hydrogen placed in an isolated group unrelated to either the alkali or halogen elements. Thus, the placing of hydrogen has been a controversial question. In the main, this has been due to the varying properties of hydrogen.

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References

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DASH, H. Position of Hydrogen in the Periodic System of Elements. Nature 202, 1001–1003 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1038/2021001a0

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