Metals vs non-metals
Shiny element that is a good conductor of electricity and heat, and which forms basic oxides. and Element that is a poor conductor of electricity and heat, and which forms acidic oxides. can be identified either by their position in the periodic table or by their The characteristics of something. In chemistry, chemical properties include the reactions a substance can take part in. Physical properties include colour and boiling point..
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Metals and non-metals in the periodic table
The metal A substance made of one type of atom only. are found on the left hand side of the periodic table, and the non-metal elements are found on the right. You can imagine a zig-zag line, starting at B-Al-Si, separating metals from non-metals.
Physical properties of metals and non-metals
The table summarises some typical properties of metals and non-metals.
| Metals | Non-metals |
| Shiny | Dull |
| High melting points | Low boiling points |
| Good conductors of electricity | Poor conductors of electricity |
| High density | Low density |
| Malleable | Brittle |
| Metals | Shiny |
|---|---|
| Non-metals | Dull |
| Metals | High melting points |
|---|---|
| Non-metals | Low boiling points |
| Metals | Good conductors of electricity |
|---|---|
| Non-metals | Poor conductors of electricity |
| Metals | High density |
|---|---|
| Non-metals | Low density |
| Metals | Malleable |
|---|---|
| Non-metals | Brittle |
Most metals have high The temperature at which a solid changes into a liquid as it is heated. and are therefore in the solid state at room temperature.
Most non-metals have low melting points are not in the solid state at room temperature.
Some elements have properties that are not typical. For example:
- Mercury (a metal) has a low melting point and exists in the liquid state at room temperature.
- Graphite, a form of carbon (a non-metal), has a high The temperature at which a substance rapidly changes from a liquid to a gas. and exists in the solid state at room temperature. It is also a good An electrical conductor is a material which allows an electrical current to pass through it easily. It has a low resistance. of electricity.
A substance with a high A measure of compactness and the ratio of mass to volume. It is usually measured in kilograms per metre cubed (kg/m3) or grams per centimetre cubed (g/cm3). means it has a high The amount of matter an object contains. Mass is measured in kilograms (kg) or grams (g). for its volume. Capable of being hammered or pressed into a new shape without being likely to break or return to the original shape. substances can be bent or hammered into shape without shattering, whereas If something is brittle it is easily broken. substances shatter when bent or hit.
