Lesson 3: Metals, non-Metals and Metalloids 

New Information

The Periodic Table

The periodic table contains 118 different elements each with different properties . 

You can group these properties and create families:

• The Metals

• The Metalloids

• The Non-Metals

Metals

Metals are defined by a short list of properties:

•  Luster (shiny when polished)

• Malleable and Ductile (flexible and drawn into a wire)

• React with acids

• Conduct electricity and heat

• High boiling point

• High melting point

• Often found as solid

Alloys

An Alloy is a combination of a base metal mixed with other elements (not pure metals)

The properties of the new alloy are improved

Example: steel is an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon. This makes steel much stronger

Non-Metals

Non-Metals are defined by a short list of properties:

• Dull (not shiny)

• Brittle (shatter when shaped)

• Do not conduct

• Low melting point

• Low boiling point

• Usually found as a gas

Metalloids

A wierd mix of metal and non-metal

• Semiconductors

• Usually shiny

• Brittle