How does todays classification of elements compare o that of the ancient Greeks?

Answer 1

Classification of elements by the ancient Greeks: "Seek Knowledge"

"alkhimiaa" of the ancient the Greeks and the Serenades has been of no value and there is no similarity between it and modern chemistry or even scientific thinking whatsoever. The Greeks and Serenades at that time depended on assumptions and analytical thinking. They used emotional views to justify phenomena and miracles, and to explain them. This method is also closely related to magic.

the Greeks had a role in cheestry. They came up with a theory about the possibility of converting cheap metals like iron, copper and Mercury into valuable metals like gold and silver. This theory stated that all the substances on earth originated from four main elements: fire, dust, air and water. Each element was said to have two features in common with another element.

For example, fire is dry and hot, dust is dry and cold, water is cold and moist, and air is cold and dry. Based on this assumption, it would be possible to convert one element to another. Aristotle saw that when all the elements reacted in the bellows underneath the earth's surface under a certain amount of pressure and and a specific temperature, metals were produced.

Moreover, in the fifth century B.C, the Greek philosopher Democritus stated that all substances are made of one thing in the form of small unbreakable units, called atoms. Based on this theory the difference between substances is solely due to the difference in the size, shape and position of their atoms.

The Greek philosopher Aristotle, who lived in the fourth century B.C., believed that any of the main elements suggested (by Empedocles) can be converted to any of the other elements by adding or removing heat or humidity. He decided that this change, known as the transformation, occurs whenever an element is added to a chemical reaction or a change in a physical status occur (solid, liquid, gas). Aristotle believed that water, for instance, is transformed from liquid to gas through heating.

Despite the failure of those attempts in the "alkhimiaa" field to transform metal into gold, over the many centuries they spent conducting experiments, researchers of this field did broaden their knowledge of chemical substances. Modern chemists are still using many of the laboratory tools and methodologies that those who worked in "al-khimiaa" invented, such as: cones, filters and balances used to weigh the chemical substances, as well as bowels used to melt metals. They've also learned to prepare different acids and alcohols and make use of them.

Generally speaking, for the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, this profession was dominated by theoretical views and was practiced by priests and magicians whose secrets were only known to themseves. There was a deficiency on the Greek side while the Egyptians excelled in that field; nevertheless, there was only very little evidence found overall.

The word Chemistry comes from the word Chemeia(amount). EX: if we added a certain amount (chemeia) of this substance to another amount of another substance the result will be the following.

The name itself is significant (Chemeia) it relates to the proportions in combining substances.

Answer 2

The ancient Greeks classified elements into four categories: earth, air, fire, and water, based on their observations. Today, elements are classified into groups and periods on the Periodic Table based on their atomic number and properties, providing a more systematic and comprehensive organization. The modern classification system is based on the periodic law and the structure of atoms, which the ancient Greeks did not have knowledge of.