Metals & Non-metals
Year 7 🌿 Materials & Environment Compare properties of metals and non-metals; locate them on the periodic table.
🔩 Properties Compared
Metals and non-metals have contrasting physical and chemical properties.
| Property | Metals | Non-metals |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical conductivity | Good | Poor (except graphite) |
| Thermal conductivity | Good | Poor |
| Melting/boiling point | Usually high | Usually low (many are gases) |
| Malleability | Malleable and ductile | Often brittle (if solid) |
| Lustre | Shiny | Usually dull |
🌍 Location in the Periodic Table
Metals are on the left and centre; non-metals are upper right. A "staircase" diagonal separates them.
Exceptions: mercury (Hg) is a liquid metal at room temperature. Graphite (carbon) is a non-metal that conducts electricity.
⚗️ Oxides
Metal oxides are basic (react with acids); non-metal oxides are acidic (react with bases).
Metal oxide + acid: MgO + H₂SO₄ → MgSO₄ + H₂O
Non-metal oxide + water: CO₂ + H₂O → H₂CO₃ (carbonic acid)
Non-metal oxide + water: CO₂ + H₂O → H₂CO₃ (carbonic acid)
Ready to test yourself? Click the Quiz tab above to practise questions on this topic!
Interactive Demonstration — Metals & Non-metals
Click elements to reveal whether they are metals or non-metals.
Fe
Iron
O
Oxygen
Cu
Copper
S
Sulfur
Al
Aluminium
C
Carbon
Na
Sodium
Cl
Chlorine
Zn
Zinc
N
Nitrogen
Click an element to classify it.
🔩 Metal / Non-Metal Classifier
Calculate the charge and formula of ions from group number.