Lesson 1.2 - Metals, Non-Metals, Metalloids

Lesson 1.2 - Metals, Non-Metals, Metalloids

You already know much about metals because so many of the objects you use are made of metals. From the stainless steel spoon in your kitchen to the special alloy in the coins you put into vending machines, you use metals all day long. Many elements are metals.

You also use non-metals every day. The oxygen that you breathe is a non-metal. Some elements share the properties of metals and non-metals and are called metalloids. The computer you are using right now would not work without metalloids. Read pages 26 and 27 in your textbook to see how the elements are classified into one of these three groups.

Question 1. What are the properties of metals?

Question 2. What are the properties of non-metals?

Question 3. What are the properties of metalloids?

Question 4. For each element listed, tell whether it is a metal, non-metal, or a metalloid. Use your periodic table to make your choice.

a) chlorine
b) silicon
c) beryllium
d) element # 83
e) element # 53
f) element # 32
g) S
h) Na
i) B

Question 5. Which metal is liquid at room temperature?

Question 6. Which metal is solid at room temperature but will melt if you hold it in your hand?

Question 7. What is the melting point of bismuth?

Question 8. What is the colour of chlorine gas?

Then, return here to continue this lesson.

Insert the science.connect1 Multimedia CD into your computer.

NOTE: this is a supplemental activity so won't be count towards marks. The disc is not required for the course (i.e. not addressed in any assignments) but has great supplemental activities to better your studies. 

It is on the inside of the front cover of your textbook. Open the PC folder if you have a PC or open the Mac folder if you have a Mac computer.

Double-click the menu.exe file, launch the applet Periodic Table, and follow the instructions.

When you have completed all the activities in Periodic Table on the CD, you can print a certificate of completion. Using the knowledge you gained from the Periodic Table activity, answer the following questions.

Question 9. What colour were the metal elements on the periodic table? Is that the real colour of the metal elements?

Question 10. What colour were the non-metal elements on the periodic table? Is that the real colour of the non-metal elements?

Question 11. What colour were the metalloid elements on the periodic table? Is that the real colour of the metalloid elements?

Question 12. What is the name of the non-metal element on the metal side of the periodic table?

Then, return here to continue this lesson.

Answers to Questions:

Question 1. What are the properties of metals?

Metals have the following properties:
· good conductors of heat and electricity xxx
· can be bent (malleable)
· can be stretched into wire (ductile)
· shiny when polished (lustre)
· solids at room temperature (except mercury, which is liquid)

Question 2. What are the properties of non-metals?

Non-metals have the following properties:
· poor conductors of heat and electricity
· cannot be bent, they are brittle (solids only)
· cannot be stretched into wire (solids only)
· dull when polished (solids only)
· gases or solids at room temperature (except bromine, which is liquid)

Question 3. What are the properties of metalloids?

Metalloids have some metal properties and some non-metal properties.

Question 4. For each element listed, tell whether it is a metal, non-metal or a metalloid. Use your periodic table to make your choice.

a) chlorine non-metal
b) silicon metalloid
c) beryllium metal
d) element # 83 metal
e) element # 53 non-metal
f) element # 32 metalloid
g) S non-metal
h) Na metal
i) B metalloid

Question 5. Which metal is liquid at room temperature?

Mercury

Question 6. Which metal is solid at room temperature but will melt if you hold it in your hand?

Gallium

Question 7. What is the melting point of bismuth?

271°C

Question 8. What is the colour of chlorine gas?

Greenish-yellow

Click to return to where you left off in this lesson.

Answers to Questions:

Question 9. What colour were the metal elements on the periodic table? Is that the real colour of the metal elements?

The metal elements on the left side of the periodic table were given a blue colour. No, that is not the real colour of the metals; metals have various colours.

Question 10. What colour were the non-metal elements on the periodic table? Is that the real colour of the non-metal elements?

The non-metal elements on the left side of the periodic table were given a yellow colour. No, that is not the real colour of the non-metals; non-metals have various colours.

Question 11. What colour were the metalloid elements on the periodic table? Is that the real colour if the metalloid elements?

The metalloid elements along the staircase of the periodic table were given a green colour. No, that is not the real colour of the metalloids; metalloids have various colours.

Question 12. What is the non-metal element that is on the metal side of the periodic table?

Hydrogen is on the left side of the periodic table. It is coloured yellow to indicate it is a non-metal.

Go to the next page to practice reading the periodic table.

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