The other group
Non-metals are mostly the opposite of metals.
Carbon and sulphur
Carbon, sulphur, iodine, oxygen and hydrogen are examples of non-metals.
How do non-metals compare with metals in their physical properties?
What this lesson covers
The idea
Non-metals are either solids or gases, except bromine which is a liquid; their properties are opposite to those of metals: they are neither malleable nor ductile and are bad conductors of heat and electricity.
Carbon and sulphur
Carbon, sulphur, iodine, oxygen and hydrogen are examples of non-metals.
How do non-metals compare with metals in their physical properties?
- Mostly the opposite
- Exactly the same
- They cannot be compared
Metal or non-metal
Tap the group each property belongs to.
Opposite properties
Non-metals are either solids or gases, except bromine, which is a liquid. Their properties are opposite to those of metals: they are neither malleable nor ductile, and they are bad conductors of heat and electricity.
Non-metals are either solids or gases, except bromine which is a liquid; their properties are opposite to those of metals: neither malleable nor ductile and bad conductors of heat and electricity.
Notes
Non-metals are solids or gases (bromine is a liquid), neither malleable nor ductile, and bad conductors.
Check yourself
Which one is a non-metal?
Which non-metal is a liquid?
A non-metal is tested for malleability and ductility. The result is that it ...
Non-metals are ... of heat and electricity.
- Copper. Copper is a metal; the book lists carbon, sulphur, iodine, oxygen and hydrogen as non-metals.
- Silver. Silver is a metal; the book lists carbon, sulphur, iodine, oxygen and hydrogen as non-metals.
- Sulphur — correct. Yes!
- Bromine — correct. Yes!
- Mercury. Mercury is a liquid, but it is a metal.
- Oxygen. The book says non-metals are solids or gases, except bromine; oxygen is not the liquid one.
- can be beaten into thin sheets. Non-metals are not malleable, so they cannot be beaten into thin sheets.
- is neither malleable nor ductile — correct. Yes!
- can be drawn into thin wires. Non-metals are not ductile, so they cannot be drawn into wires.
- good conductors. Metals are the good conductors; non-metals are bad conductors.
- the best conductors. Silver and copper are the best conductors of heat; non-metals are bad conductors.
- bad conductors — correct. Yes!