Just for everyone’s information, this is NOT an article. It is just something that dawned upon me some minutes ago and thought is would be fun to share it. I got an idea to relate the periodic table to different segments of our life. It will be a funny and sensible (however you prefer to take it) analogy. So, if you know your periodic table and have knowledge about the stage of life in humans, you’ll probably find this interesting.
- The early stage of life as a baby can be compared to group seventeen of the periodic table (fluorine to tennessine). These element are highly reactive and try to grab any electron that comes their way, much like a baby, who grabs every other thing to inspect it, and potentially render it incapable of further usage.
- Childhood can be compared to the last rows of elements at the bottom of the table, namely the lanthanides (lanthanum to lutetium) and actinides (actinium to lawrencium). The elements in these rows have different properties from each other and have to be discovered through experiments. Similarly, every child is unique and their potential must be discovered by their parents by experimenting.
- Adolescence can be compared to the group of elements called metalloids, which include silicon, boron, germanium, arsenic etc. These metals exhibit properties of both metals and nonmetals. Adolescents are pretty much similar. They neither act like children, nor like adults and are in the middle.
- Adulthood can be compared to the d-block elements (the elements making a rectangle in the middle). The initial elements of this block are quite normal. However, once you start progressing, you see changes to the elements, including oxidation states, atomic radius etc. Adulthood initially seems very blissful. After entering further into it (I suppose you understood what I meant there), you see life’s not all a bed of roses. You have multiple stuff to consider before making a decision. And the wrong decision can lead to some pretty nasty consequences.
- Finally, old age can, undoubtedly, be compared the the noble gases. These elements in group 18 (the last column) are non-reactive (under normal circumstances) as they have eight electrons in their outermost shell and are thus stable. Similarly, old people have lived their life and prefer to stay out of stuff. However, when someone pesters them, they do react quite differently and firmly.
That’s it for this one. I’ll be bringing my next article shortly. Till then, stay tuned.
Author: Venkata Bhamidipati.
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