Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Official website of the State –
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The renowned scientist was born on February 8, 1834, in Tobolsk, the 17th child in his family. After graduating from the city gymnasium, he decided to follow in his father's footsteps and enroll in the Main Pedagogical Institute, in the natural sciences department of the Physics and Mathematics Department, in St. Petersburg. His year of admission was not an acceptable one, so his mother, Maria Dmitrievna, petitioned the ministry to make an exception for her son, and an exception was granted.
The beginning of the scientific path
Studying at the institute was a privilege, which was reflected in the admission requirements, the curriculum, and funding:
Students were recruited every two years in small numbers. They were accepted on state support. The education was strong and focused on the development of individual abilities. A physics lab, a chemistry lab, and a library were located near the classrooms, which saved the students time and energy.
His first major research project was his dissertation, "Isomorphism in Connection with Other Relationships of Crystal Form with Differences in Composition." He wrote it under the supervision of Professor Alexander Voskresensky upon graduation from the institute. Mendeleev graduated in 1855 with a gold medal, defended his master's thesis in 1856, and in 1865, his doctoral dissertation, "On the Combination of Alcohol with Water." At the time, such an academic degree and professorial title were typically awarded to those approaching 40 years of age, after many years of service, but Mendeleev was only 33 at the time. This achievement was a true milestone in the world of science! He also began working as a privatdozent at St. Petersburg University, but also taught at other institutions of higher education.
Discoveries and achievements
Dmitry Ivanovich made his greatest discoveries, which revolutionized science, in the fields of chemistry and physics:
In 1869, he created the periodic table of chemical elements, which became the basis for atomic-molecular theory. In 1861, he published the first Russian textbook on organic chemistry. In the 1870s and 1874s, he studied gas elasticity and proposed a new derivation of the generalized equation of state of an ideal gas (the Clapeyron-Mendeleev equation). In the 1870s and 1880s, he researched metrology and refined the laws of atmospheric pressure dependence on altitude. He developed a precise theory of scales, proposing improved designs for the beam and arrester. Under his leadership, the pound and arshin standards were updated from 1893 to 1898, and Russian measures were compared with English and metric ones.
Mendeleev considered it "harmful" for a professor to simply teach his course. He should not only be actively engaged in scientific work but also be able to apply it. Therefore, he sought to make a practical contribution himself:
In the 1860s, he developed a technology for producing machine oils. In 1888, the scientist inspected coal deposits in the Donets Basin and drew up a plan for clearing the Don. He wrote a major work with an overview of Russian industry, which became an economic encyclopedia of Russia at that time. He worked in the scientific and technical laboratory of the Naval Ministry, developing a technology for the production of smokeless gunpowder. He edited sections of the famous Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary that were close to him, and wrote dozens of articles for it himself. At the age of 65, Mendeleev led an expedition to the Urals, which spent several months studying how to stimulate the industrial development of the region.
Dmitri Mendeleev was one of the most outstanding scientists of his time. This physical chemist's discoveries had a significant impact on the development of science and demonstrated how brilliant ideas can change our understanding of the world. His legacy lives on in every laboratory where research is conducted.
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