Final answer:
Lothar Meyer, alongside Dmitri Mendeleev, recognized the importance of chemical properties in addition to atomic weight for arranging elements, contributing to the early development of the periodic table.
Step-by-step explanation:
Lothar Meyer recognized that it wasn't sufficient to arrange the elements solely by atomic weight; he also observed that grouping them according to their chemical properties was critically important.
This approach led to the creation of a more functional periodic table. In the 1860s, both Meyer and Dmitri Mendeleev were assessing these relationships and eventually developed periodic tables that reflected these patterns.
Meyer used a property called 'atomic volume' for his ordering, while Mendeleev was bold enough to predict the discovery of new elements based on patterns he found, which eventually led to his periodic table gaining favor when his predictions about undiscovered elements' properties came true.
The work of these chemists underscored a periodic relationship between the elements, which became an essential aspect of the periodic table we utilize today.
Lothar Meyer recognized that he couldn't just arrange the elements according to atomic weight. He realized that organizing the elements based on their chemical properties was also important.
Meyer grouped the elements according to their chemical properties, such as their reaction with water and oxygen. This approach allowed for a more systematic and comprehensive arrangement of the elements, which eventually led to the development of the modern periodic table.