FITNESS 



13 



Atomic weight . . . 

 Specific gravity . . . 

 Atomic volume . . . 

 Formula of oxide . . 

 Specific gravity of oxide 

 Formula of chloride 

 Boiling point of chloride 

 Specific gravity of chloride 

 Formula of fluoride . . 

 Formula of ethyl compound 

 Specific gravity of ethyl compound 



Prediction 



72.0 



5.5 

 13 

 Ge0 2 



4.7 

 GeCU 

 Less than 100° 



1.9 

 GeFl 4 

 Ge(C 2 H 5 ) 4 



0.96 



Observation 



72.3 

 5.469 

 13.2 

 Ge0 2 



4.703 

 GeCU 



86° 

 1.9 

 GeFU 



Ge(C 2 H fi ) 4 

 Lower than water 



Finally it is to be especially noted that, 

 upon arranging the known elements in a 

 table rationally constructed upon the basis 

 of the above recorded facts, comparatively 

 few spaces within the range of known atomic 

 weights remain to be filled. The conclusion 

 is obvious that very few elements now un- 

 known are possible unless they possess very 

 high atomic weights. But the apparent 

 transmutation of radium into helium is a 

 pretty clear indication that elements of very 

 high atomic weight may be unstable. If 

 they have existed in number and large quan- 

 tity, they probably have long since ceased 

 so to exist, except perhaps in the interior 

 of celestial bodies, and they are not likely 

 elsewhere to complicate natural phenomena 

 by their unknown properties. 



