Tyler's Physical Properties
Metal, NON-metal & Metalloid
Metal
The physical properties of metals include shininess, malleability, ductility, and conductivity. A malleable metal is one that can be hammered or rolled into flat sheets and other shapes. A ductile material is one that can be drawn or pulled out, into a long wire. Conductivity is the ability of an object to transfer heat or electricity to another object.
Non-meatal
The physical properties of nonmetals do not conduct electricity. They are much poorer conductors of heat than metals and are brittle when solid. Many are gases at room temperature and their melting points tend to be lower than those of metals.
Metalliods
The physical properties of metalloids have some physical properties of metals and other properties of nonmetals. Metalloids are semiconductors. For example, silicons semiconducting properties made the computer revolution possible. A semiconductor is an element that does not conduct electricity as well as a metal, but does conduct slightly better than a nonmetal. Some metalloids such as silicon, germanium (Ge), and arsenic (As) are semiconductors. Metalloids are all solid at room temperature, and can be brittle, hard, and somewhat reactive.