Metal, Nonmetal, or Metalloid Prelab

Click through the slides with your partner, completing your worksheet

as you go.

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Properties of Metals• Metals are:

– solids (Except mercury [Hg], a liquid under normal conditions).– shiny.– good conductors of electricity and heat.– ductile (they can be drawn into thin wires).– malleable (they can be easily hammered into very thin sheets).

• Metals also tend to lose electrons in chemical reactions.• Many metals react with hydrochloric acid to form

hydrogen gas.• Generally have high melting points (except columns 1 and

2).Click Here

to Continue

Properties of Nonmetals

• Nonmetals have properties opposite of metals.• Nonmetals are:– brittle (shatter easily).– not malleable or ductile (shatter easily).– poor conductors of both heat and electricity.

• Nonmetals tend to gain electrons in chemical reactions.

• Some nonmetals are liquids.• Have low melting points.

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Properties of Metalloids

• The elements that border the stair-stepped line are classified as metalloids.

• The metalloids, or semimetals, have properties that are somewhat of a cross between metals and nonmetals.

• Metalloids tend to be economically important because of their unique semiconductor properties (they only partially conduct electricity), which make them valuable in the semiconductor and computer chip industry.

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Properties Quiz

• In order to use the properties to identify an unknown, you must know the properties.

• Complete this short quiz. Try to get the answers by talking it out with your partner; only look at your notes if you need to.

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1. What is this sample?

• An unknown sample is a liquid, and conducts heat very well. It is also shiny.

Metal Nonmetal Metalloid

WRONG!Property Metal Nonmetal Metalloid

Possible States of Matter

Solid (Except mercury, which is liquid)

Solid, Liquid, Gas Solid

Appearance Shiny Dull Some, shiny, Some dull

Conductivity Very Good Poor Semi-conductors

Reaction with HCl? Yes No No

Malleable and Ductile or Brittle?

Malleable and Ductile

Brittle Brittle

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RIGHT!Property Metal Nonmetal Metalloid

Possible States of Matter

Solid (Except mercury, which is liquid)

Solid, Liquid, Gas Solid

Appearance Shiny Dull Some, shiny, Some dull

Conductivity Very Good Poor Semi-conductors

Reaction with HCl? Yes No No

Malleable and Ductile or Brittle?

Malleable and Ductile

Brittle Brittle

Most of the properties for metal are highlighted from the description of the unknown, so it is likely a metal.

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2. What is this sample?

• An unknown sample is brittle, dull. It is a semi conductor and works well for technological applications such as the computer chip in your phone.

Metal Nonmetal Metalloid

WRONG!Property Metal Nonmetal Metalloid

Possible States of Matter

Solid (Except mercury, which is liquid)

Solid, Liquid, Gas Solid

Appearance Shiny Dull Some, shiny, Some dull

Color Silvery-white, Gold, Rose-gold Yellow, black Some metallic,

some nonmetallicConductivity Very Good Poor Semi-conductors

Reaction with HCl? Yes No NoMalleable and Ductile or Brittle?

Malleable and Ductile

Brittle Brittle

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RIGHT!Property Metal Nonmetal Metalloid

Possible States of Matter

Solid (Except mercury, which is liquid)

Solid, Liquid, Gas Solid

Appearance Shiny Dull Some, shiny, Some dull

Conductivity Very Good Poor Semi-conductors

Reaction with HCl? Yes No No

Malleable and Ductile or Brittle?

Malleable and Ductile

Brittle Brittle

Most of the properties for metalloid are

highlighted from the description of the

unknown, so it is likely a metalloid.

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Using the Properties to Identify an Unknown

• We focused on four properties of metals:– Appearance– Conductivity– Malleability– Reaction with HCl– Melting Point

• Click on each one to see how to test this property.• Once you have read all four, click here to

continue.

Appearance

• Use your eyes (not hands, mouth, or anything else) to observe the sample.– Is it shiny? Dull?– What color is it? Silvery,

or something else?– What state of matter is it

in? Solid? Liquid? Gas?

Boron, Metalloid

Silicon, Metalloid

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Conductivity

• Turn the conductivity meter on using the switch

• Place the leads (wires) onto the sample to test.

• No lights: not a conductor• Dim lights: some

conduction• Bright lights: good

conductor

Calcium, MetalClick Here to Return

Malleability

• Strike the sample with a hammer (carefully)

• Malleable (can be hammered into a sheet) and ductile (can be hammered into a wire) materials will not shatter when struck with the hammer.

Copper, Metal

Copper can be hammered into a bowl or wire.

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Reaction with HCl

• Pick up a small sample of the metal and drop it into the HCl.

• If you hear a fizzing sound, see vapor rising, or bubbles forming, a reaction is occurring (giving off hydrogen).

Zinc, Metal

Zinc reacts with acid (HCl) to produce hydrogen gas bubbles.

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Melting Point

• Heat the sample until it melts.

• This may require VERY high temperatures, and thus cannot be done in a classroom.

Iron, Metal. Melts at 2800°F.

Gallium, Metal. Melts at body temperature.

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Write a Procedure

• Make a step-by-step procedure to test if an unknown sample is a metal, metalloid, or nonmetal.– Test the following: appearance (color, luster, state of matter),

conductivity, malleability, and reaction with acid– Explain what each test tells you (Ex: Shiny appearance means it is

likely a metal, but could be a metalloid)– Use complete sentences and numbered steps.– Your procedure should be specific enough that anyone could pick

it up and use it to test an unknown sample.• I reserve the right to ask you to verbally explain the

procedure to me for your grade. Make sure you understand the procedure; not just your lab partner.

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