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Learning about elements that are very different from metals, like gases and brittle solids.
Take a deep breath. You just inhaled a mix of elements that aren't shiny, can't be turned into wires, and aren't even solid! If metals are the 'strong' builders of the world, non-metals are the invisible 'life-givers'—but how do we find them?
In the world of chemistry, non-metals are the total opposites of metals. While metals are shiny and can be hammered into sheets, non-metals are dull (they don't reflect much light) and brittle. If you hit a solid non-metal, like a piece of charcoal (carbon), with a hammer, it won't bend—it will shatter into tiny pieces! They are also poor conductors, meaning they don't let heat or electricity flow through them easily. This is why we use non-metal materials, like plastic or rubber, to wrap around metal wires for safety.
Imagine you have two mystery samples: 1. Sample A is a piece of Copper (). When you hit it, it flattens out like a pancake. 2. Sample B is a piece of Sulfur (). When you hit it, it turns into a yellow powder.
Because Sample B is brittle and breaks apart, it is a non-metal!
Quick Check
If an element is 'brittle,' what happens when you try to bend it?
Answer
It will break or shatter into pieces instead of bending.
One of the coolest things about non-metals is that many of them are gases at room temperature. While almost all metals are solid (except for Mercury), non-metals like Oxygen (), Nitrogen (), and Helium () are floating all around us. In fact, about of the air you breathe is Nitrogen and is Oxygen! Because their atoms don't stick together as tightly as metal atoms do, they stay in a gas state unless they get extremely cold.
Let's look at the composition of air in a container: 1. Nitrogen (): parts 2. Oxygen (): parts 3. Other elements: part
Since Nitrogen and Oxygen are both gases at room temperature and do not conduct electricity, they are classified as non-metals.
Quick Check
True or False: Most non-metals are shiny solids like silver.
Answer
False. Most non-metals are dull solids or gases.
Where do these 'opposites' live? If you look at the Periodic Table, you will see a bold, zigzag 'staircase' on the right side. Most non-metals live to the right of this staircase. There is one 'rebel' though: Hydrogen (). Even though Hydrogen is on the far left side with the metals, it is actually a non-metal gas! Aside from Hydrogen, you can always find the non-metals grouped together on the right side, including the Noble Gases in the very last column.
To find a non-metal, follow these steps: 1. Look at the Periodic Table. 2. Find the zigzag line (the staircase) starting near Boron (). 3. Move your finger to the right of that line. Elements like Carbon (), Phosphorus (), and Neon () are all non-metals. 4. Don't forget to jump over to the top left corner to find the 'rebel' Hydrogen ()!
Which of these is a common physical property of a solid non-metal?
Where are most non-metals located on the Periodic Table?
Hydrogen is a non-metal even though it sits on the left side of the table.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to name three non-metals you interact with every day (Hint: think about breathing and the lead in your pencil, which is actually carbon!).
Practice Activity
Draw a simple outline of the Periodic Table and shade in the area where the non-metals live. Don't forget to shade the 'rebel' Hydrogen on the other side!