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Why Is the Periodic Table Important? The modern periodic table has changed since Mendeleev's original table, yet both the first tables and the modern table are important for the same reason: The periodic table organizes elements according to similar properties so you can tell the characteristics of an element just by looking at its position on the table. Before all the naturally occurring elements were discovered, the  periodic table  was used to predict the chemical and physical propertiesof elements in the gaps on the table. Today, the table can be used to predict properties of elements yet to be discovered, although these new elements are all highly radioactive and break down into more familiar elements almost instantly. The table is useful for modern students and scientists because it helps predict the types of chemical reactions that are likely for an element. Rather than memorize facts and figures for each element, a quick glance...