Final answer:
The claim that the original 11 Greek / Latin elements were discovered 2000 years ago is false. Ancient Greeks postulated only four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. The more extensive periodic table, including the known elements, was developed much later, particularly after Dmitri Mendeleyev's work.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the first elements discovered by scientists 2000 years ago became known as the original 11 Greek / Latin elements is false. While the ancient Greeks did discuss the concept of elements, they believed in a system which included just four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. Instead of a list of 11 elements, these four were thought to be the essential building blocks of nature.
It was not until much later, particularly after the work of Dmitri Mendeleyev in the 19th century, that a more extensive and systematic periodic table of elements was constructed, reflecting a much deeper understanding of chemical elements.
One of the earliest concepts regarding the composition of matter dates back to ancient Greek philosophers like Leucippus and Democritus who introduced the idea of tiny, indivisible particles called atomos. However, their proposal did not consist of a list of 11 elements, and it was not until the advent of modern chemistry that the atomic theory was empirically proven and the true diversity of chemical elements was understood.