Metals, Non-metals and Metalloids
Properties change across the table.
About this topic
Metals, on the left and centre of the table, are typically shiny, malleable, ductile and good conductors of heat and electricity; they lose electrons to form cations. Non-metals, on the right, are usually dull, brittle as solids, poor conductors and gain electrons to form anions. Metalloids such as silicon, germanium and arsenic have intermediate properties and are semiconductors.
These properties follow from bonding. Metals have a sea of delocalised electrons that carry charge and heat and let layers slide without breaking, giving malleability. Non-metals hold electrons tightly in covalent bonds, so they do not conduct, except graphite. Metalloids lie along a staircase line from boron to astatine, and their conductivity rises with temperature and with added impurities, which is the foundation of electronics.
Think of copper wire, a sulfur crystal and a silicon chip: copper conducts and bends, sulfur crumbles to a yellow powder, and silicon can be tuned to switch current on or off. Oxides also differ, with metal oxides generally basic and non-metal oxides acidic.
Mercury is a liquid metal and carbon in the form of graphite conducts, so there are exceptions. Students also assume hydrogen is a metal because of its position; it is a non-metal. Use the properties, not just the position, when classifying.
Key ideas
- Metals conduct and are malleable
- Non-metals are brittle and insulating
- Metalloids are in between
Quick check
Use cases: where Metals, Non-metals and Metalloids helps
- Homework: review the key idea behind Metals, Non-metals and Metalloids before you start a problem set.
- Exam revision: use the quick check to test whether you can recall Metals, Non-metals and Metalloids without notes.
- Visual learning: play with the interactive lab to see how Metals, Non-metals and Metalloids changes when you adjust its inputs.
- Teaching a friend: explain Metals, Non-metals and Metalloids in your own words, then compare your version with the key ideas.
Chemistry explains medicine, food, cleaning products, fuels and building materials.
Frequently asked questions
What is Metals, Non-metals and Metalloids?
Properties change across the table.
What will I learn in Metals, Non-metals and Metalloids?
Metals conduct and are malleable. Non-metals are brittle and insulating. Metalloids are in between.
Is Metals, Non-metals and Metalloids part of Chemistry?
Yes. It is one of 150 Chemistry topics on LearnViz HighSchoolEdu, with 3 key ideas, a live animation and a quick check.
Does the Metals, Non-metals and Metalloids lab work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The animation resizes to fit your screen and supports touch, so you can drag, tap and slide with your finger.
How should I study Metals, Non-metals and Metalloids?
Read the summary and key ideas first, play with the interactive lab to see the idea in motion, then answer the quick check. If you get a question wrong, go back to the key idea it tests.
Do I need an account, and is my progress saved?
No account is needed. Marking a topic as learned is saved in your own browser, so it stays on that device and is not sent to a server.