Final answer:
Moseley's research led to the conclusion that the elements in the periodic table should be sorted by increasing atomic number rather than atomic mass, resolving inconsistencies in Mendeleev's original table.
Step-by-step explanation:
Moseley's research suggested that elements should be sorted by increasing atomic number. This discovery was a significant advancement in the field of chemistry and adjusted the periodic table we use today. Previously, Dmitri Mendeleev had developed a periodic table based on atomic masses, which worked well in most cases but had some inconsistencies when new elements were discovered or when predicting the properties of yet undiscovered elements.
Henry Moseley, through his work using X-ray spectroscopy, found that the wavelength of emitted x-rays from elements was more closely related to the number of protons, or the atomic number, than the atomic mass. As a result, Moseley proposed that the periodic table should be reorganized based on atomic number. This reorganization corrected discrepancies previously encountered with Mendeleev's arrangement and provided a more accurate representation of element periodicity and behavior.
Following Moseley's findings, the periodic law was revisited. It was then understood that when elements are ordered by increasing atomic number, there is a periodic repetition of their chemical and physical properties. This now forms the core concept behind the modern periodic table.