PROPERTIES OF METALS

Color

LUSTER Metals have luster. This means they are shiny.

DUCTILITY / DUCTILE Metals can be drawn into wires.

MALLEABILITY / MALLEABLE Metals can be hammered or flattened into sheets.

DENSE Metals have high opacity.

CONDUCTIVITY / CONDUCTORS Metals are good conductors of heat and electricity.

HIGH MELTING POINT Metals have high melting points.

PROPERTIES OF non-METALS

DULL Non-metals do not shine, they are dull.

BRITTLE Non-metals break easily, this means that they are not ductile and malleable.

LOW DENSITY Non-metals have low density.

LOW MELTING POINT AND NON-CONDUCTOR (INSULATOR) Non-metals have low melting point, that’s why they are poor conductors of heat and electricity.

Metals vs. Non-metals Metals Non-metals Color Gold, silver, copper, pyrite, some others show characteristic colors; always opaque Wide variety of colors or colorless; sometimes transparent or translucent Luster Metallic luster: think coins and jewelry; shiny or rusty Non-metallic luster: can be shiny, but looks like glass, not metal. Often dull. Malleability Can be hammered or rolled into various shapes Will shatter if hammered Density Usually heavy for its size: think lead and gold Average or light density – rarely heavy Conductivity Will conduct cold or heat; will conduct electricity when solid Will not conduct cold, heat, or electricity well.

Physical properties of metals and non metals Metals are solids (except mercury). Metals are hard (except sodium, potassium etc. Metals have metallic lustre. Metals have high melting points and boliling points. Metals are malleable ( can be made into thin sheets). Metals are ductile (can be made into thin wires). Metals are good conductors of heat and electricity. Metals are sonorus (produces sound). Non metals Non metals may be solids, liquids or gases. Non metals which are solids are brittle (diamond is the hardest). Non metals do not have lustre some have a dull luster. Non metals have low melting points. Non metals are not malleable. Non metals are not ductile. Non metals are bad conductors of heat and electricity (except graphite). Non metals are not sonorus.

Metalloids B, Si, Ge, As, Sb, Te, Po (a diagonal between the metals and the non-metals on the Periodic Table of the Elements) Can have properties of metals or non-metals, depending upon allotrope, temperature conditions, presence of an electric field, or other conditions. Often used as semi-conductors in electrical applications. Cannot be easily identified.