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This article was originally published as a chapter in the book “Design and Catastrophe: 51 Scientists Explore Evidence in Nature"
The periodic table of elements is one of the most fascinating features in the physical sciences. It consists of the arrangement of elements in a well-organized, repeating pattern, hence the term “periodic.” All materials in the universe are made up of elements represented on the periodic table, and these elements seem to tell a consistently elegant story about the organization and function of matter at its fundamental level.
We may ask, “Where did all these elements come from and why can they be arranged in such a well-organized, predictable order?” The standard naturalistic model argues that the elements formed as a result of a non-directed, big explosion billions of years ago, called the big bang.[1] However, looking at the periodic table (Figure 3-1), one wonders how such a massive explosion could produce such a well-ordered, beautiful pattern. There are features that seem to point to an Intelligence behind nature as reflected in the periodic table of elements.
Elements differ by the number of protons, subatomic particles in the nucleus of each atom. If the elements are arranged in order of the number of protons, they form a continuous numerical pattern.
The periodic table reveals a periodicity of the elements, whereby in each period (its row on the periodic table), there is a progression of chemical and physical properties from the first column to a climax in the last column before the pattern is repeated. For example, element numbers 2, 10, 18, 36, and so on, become climactic points, after which the periodic cycle begins again.
Moving across each period, the atomic radius of each successive element gets smaller and smaller before the cycle repeats itself. In each period, atoms in the first column are always the largest, while elements in the last column are the smallest.
Atoms also contain the same number of electrons as protons. These particles stabilize each other, although they do not reside in the same part of the atom. Protons reside in the nucleus (center of the atom), while electrons reside in the peripheral regions of the atom. Moreover, electrons are not randomly scattered around the atom but reside in certain specific levels, with each level only allowing a specific number of residing electrons. Electrons interact with each other, some arrangements and interactions being more favorable than others.
Elements in the same column have the same number of electrons in the outermost level and tend to have similar chemical properties. For example, all elements in the first column have one electron in their outermost level and react violently with water, which generates hydrogen and a tremendous amount of heat that can ignite the hydrogen, generating fire.[2] On the other hand, all elements in the last column tend to be very unreactive and seldom bond together to form complex molecules.
Such arrangements of electrons also allow chemical combinations to occur in specific, predictable manners. Scientists are able to predict which elements will react with which, and how. For example, the chemical formula for water is H2O. This means that regardless of the source and how it is prepared, water will always have a 2:1 ratio between hydrogen and oxygen. It is this predictability that has allowed the study of chemistry to be such a useful and rewarding enterprise. Commenting on this amazing proportionality, Poythress remarked that “chemists discovered the elegant proportionality of chemical bonding even before we had a conception of atomic structure.”[3]
A third subatomic particle, the neutron, also plays a stabilizing role to the nucleus through the strong nuclear force. Without neutrons, the heavier elements would not form due to massive repulsive forces between protons. It almost seems like foresight was involved to make the necessary particles needed for the atom to exist ahead of time.
Although scientists do not agree on the origin of the elements and these subatomic particles, the periodic properties of these elements seem to communicate a directed process. Any directed process, however, requires a built-in code or set of instructions. The question is, If the process of formation of these elements is purely natural, then what is the nature and source of this coding system?
How can such beautiful construction of order even at subatomic and fundamental levels be random and undirected? Beauty, order, and predictability, especially in complex systems, testify of an Intelligence behind their construction. The atom, though small, is so complex that it determines the nature, structure, and strength of large objects and organisms. To observe that at a fundamental level matter exhibits such modularity and predictable interactions is, to me, indicative of design rather than chance.
In conclusion, although an exhaustive study of the periodic table is beyond the scope of this essay, the few trends highlighted communicate a beautiful, orderly pattern that contradicts the narrative of a random, non-directed natural process of origination. This order and design are revealed on many levels of the atomic structure and affect the configuration and properties of all materials in this universe. For me, the most reasonable conclusion is that behind the intricate design of the atom there must be a masterful, careful, and purposeful Designer—the Creator God.
NOTES
[1] R Chang, KA Goldsby. Chemistry. 11th ed. New York: McGraw Hill Education; 2012, p. 6.
[2] ND Jespersen, JE Brady, A Hyslop. Chemistry: the molecular nature of matter. 7th ed. Hoboken (NY): Wiley; 2014, pp. 77, 382.
[3] VS Poythress. Redeeming science: a God-centered approach. Wheaton (IL): Crossway; 2006, p. 314.
Nicholas Madhiri is currently an associate professor of chemistry at Southwestern Adventist University. He holds a PhD in Physical Electroanalytical Chemistry from West Virginia University. His research interests are in electrochemistry and alternative sources of energy, including fuel cells, and he has had his work published in several peer-reviewed journals.