Metals and Nonmetals – Basic Principles
How it works
Metals and nonmetals are two large groups of chemical elements. Metals are usually solid, shiny, good conductors of heat and electricity, and malleable. Nonmetals are usually poor conductors, often gaseous or brittle, and show different chemical properties. Metals are usually found on the left and in the middle of the periodic table, nonmetals on the upper right. Many everyday materials contain metals, for example copper wires or iron pans. Nonmetals also occur in everyday life, for example as oxygen in the air or as sulfur in certain substances and products.
Metals and nonmetals differ in physical and chemical properties such as conductivity, state of matter, luster, and reactivity.
An example
Which of the following elements is a metal: sodium, oxygen, chlorine, or sulfur?
Try it yourself now
50 Exercises
To the learning unit →Own explanation and own practice exercises by AmyMath. Subject reference framework: Chemistry. The topic assignment may vary by federal state.