Lesson video

Welcome to today's lesson on metallic elements.

It's part of the unit Atoms, Elements and Compounds.

I'm so pleased that you've come along to learn with me today.

My name's Ms. Maitam Smithson, and today we're going to look at metals and non-metal elements.

We're going to look at the properties of them and by the end of this lesson, you should be able to describe the properties of metal elements and compare them to non-metal elements.

Here's the keywords for today's lesson.

Thermal conductor, electrical conductor, malleable, brittle, ductile.

On the next slide, there's some sentences that include these keywords.

If you wish to read them, then pause the video and then press play when you're ready to learn.

Today's lesson consists of three learning cycles.

Firstly, we're gonna start with metals.

Move on to what a non-metal is, and then we're going to compare the two.

So we're gonna compare metals with non-metals.

Let's get going first of all, on our first learning cycle of metals.

We can investigate the general physical properties, so that's the way that the element behaves.

And then once we've done that, we can decide if it's a metallic element or not.

So some general physical properties of metals are malleable, ductile, shiny, hard, sonorous, high melting and boiling points, and we can also look at if they can conduct electricity or conduct heat.

Here are two rings made of gold.

Let's look at their properties, so they're hard and strong.

That means that they're not soft, so they can't easily be squashed.

They're shiny, which means that they reflect light, they conduct heat, which means that they will pass heat through it.

They are ductile.

Now, ductile is a funny word and you might not have come across this before.

That means that you can pull it into a wire shape.

So these rings have been made by being pulled into a wire shape and then they've been joined together, malleable.

Now this is a really important property of metals.

It means that you can bend it into shape and it will stay in that shape.

They've got high melting and high boiling points and they're sonorous.

Again, this is a word that you might not have heard of.

This means that it rings like a bell when you strike it with something.

So if you hit it with like a metal nail, something like that, you should be able to hear it ringing like a bell, and it will also conduct electricity, which means it will pass a current through it.

So these are the properties of metals.

Let's have a quick check for understanding.

What's the definition for ductile? Does it mean it is shiny? Does it mean it can be bent into shape? Does it mean it can be pulled into wires? Pause the video, select your definition for ductile and then press play and we'll look at the answer.

Well done if you said that ductile means it can be pulled into wires.

I've got some images for you here now.

Which of these three images shows that the element can conduct electricity? The grey box here represents the element being tested.

So pause the video, have a little think and then press play when you've got your answer.

Well done if you said B.

B shows that the element is conducting electricity.

So you can see there either side of the element, which is that grey box got a crocodile clip either side and then you've got a battery or a cell in the circuit and a light bulb.

When that light lights up, you know that the electricity can be conducted.

So well done if you've got that one right.

Here's a periodic table and you've probably come across one of these before.

If you have a look at all of the elements that are shaded in light green, so they're found on the left hand side and the middle of the periodic table.

They're the metallic elements, so they're the metals.

If you read some of the names, you might be familiar with them.

So iron, nickel, copper, zinc, aluminium, these are all metals and they're found on the left and middle of the periodic table.

Here's a quick check for understanding which letter or letters in the black box represents where you might find a metal on the periodic table.

So pause the video for some thinking time and press play when you've got your answer.

Well done if you said A and B, remember the metals are found on the left hand side and the middle of the periodic table.

So A and B represent metals.

Well done if you got that one right.

Here's task A.

What I'd like you to do now is practise all of the knowledge that you have about metals and decide if the description of the element is a metal or not a metal.

And remember, it needs to have all the properties of a metal to be a metal.

So element A is shiny and conducts heat.

Element B is not shiny and conducts electricity.

Element C is sonorous and malleable.

Element D is sonorous and not malleable.

Element E is shiny, hard and malleable.

Element F is soft, does not conduct heat and it's malleable.

Element G is ductile, hard, and malleable.

Pause the video while you carry out that task.

Then press play and we'll go through the answers together.

Well done for completing that task.

Let's have a look at the answers.

So element A is shiny and conducts heat.

So being shiny and conducting heat are both properties of metals.

So that must be a metal, element B is not shiny and conducts electricity.

So this is not a metal.

It needs to have all the properties of a metal to be a metal remember? Element C is sonorous and malleable.

So that means it rings like a bell and you can bend it into shape.

So that's metal.

Element D is sonorous and not malleable.

So that would be a not a metal.

Element E is shiny, hard, and malleable.

So they're the properties of a metal.

So that makes that a metal.

Element F is soft, does not conduct heat but is malleable.

So that is not a metal, although malleable is a property of a metal.

Remember it needs to have all the properties of a metal to be a metal.

Finally, element G is ductile, hard, and malleable.

They're all properties of a metal.

So that means that that is a metal.

Well done if you've got all of those correct.

Well done for completing the first learning cycle of metals.

Now we're going to move on to non-metals before comparing metals and non-metals.

If an element is not a metal, it could be a non-metal.

So we can investigate the physical properties of an element and we can decide if it's a metal or if it's a non-metal.

Let's have a look at some physical properties of non-metals.

So brittle, that means it's very easy to break.

It cannot be pulled into wires so it's not ductile, cannot be pulled into wires.

It's dull.

So that's the opposite of shiny.

So non-metals are dull.

It's soft and it makes a dull sound when it's struck.

So when you hit it with something that's metallic, it would make a dull sound.

It would not ring like a bell.

Also, they have low melting and boiling points, so they cannot conduct electricity and they cannot conduct heat.

Let's have a look at some images of non-metals.

So here's sulphur.

You can see that that's yellow; iodine, carbon, neon.

That's the gas that's inside of that light there that says open and bromine.

For every rule, there are always exceptions to the rule.

So graphite is a form of carbon and this form of carbon conducts electricity, has a very high melting point and a very high boiling point, unlike all of the other non-metals.

So you might have come across this as a pencil lead.

So pencils don't actually have lead in them anymore.

They've got graphite inside of them.

So this pencil lead is made of graphite and you can see here that when you put this in a circuit that the current can pass through the graphite and light up the bulb.

So you can see there that this non-metal conducts electricity, but the majority of non-metals do not conduct electricity.

So non-metals are found on the right hand side of the periodic table.

So everything that is found in the right hand side of the periodic table, that is a non-metal.

So you might have come across some of these elements before.

So oxygen, chlorine, sulphur, phosphorus, krypton, arsenic, these are all non-metals.

Here's task B about non-metals.

Sam and Alex are describing non-metals.

Some of their descriptions are correct.

They have made some mistakes though.

What I want you to do is correct their descriptions of non-metals.

So some saying a non-metal can conduct electricity.

It is brittle and ductile.

Non-metals are found on the left hand side of the periodic table.

Alex is saying a non-metal cannot conduct heat.

It is hard and sonorous, which means it makes a ringing sound when struck with something metal, it is shiny.

So what I want you to do now is pause the video, complete this task.

So you're going to correct their descriptions that are incorrect and then you're going to press play and we'll go through the answers together.

Weldon for completing Task B about nonmetals.

Let's have a look if you've managed to correct Sam and Alex's statements.

So Sam should have said a nonmetal cannot conduct electricity.

It is brittle and not ductile, so that means you cannot pull it into wires.

Nonmetals are found on the right hand side of the periodic table.

Let's have a look at Alex.

A non-metal cannot conduct heat.

It is soft and it is not sonorous, which means it will not make a ringing sound when struck with something metal.

It is dull, which means it is not shiny.

So well done if you've got those correct.

Well done for working hard this lesson.

We've learned about metals and we've learned about non-metals.

And now what we're going to do is we're going to compare metals with non-metals.

We can carry out experiments to test the properties of substance to see if it's a metal or a nonmetal.

So we can carry out the following tests, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, hardness, malleability, and if it's sonorous or not.

So first let's have a little look about testing metals and non-metals.

So here's how you can test for electrical conductivity.

So here you can see we've got a circuit and we're going to place the metal between the crocodile clips to complete the circuit.

If the bulb lights up, it means that it's a metal because metals conduct electricity.

Now we're going to have a look at non-metals.

You can see here we've got a non-metal between the two crocodile clips this time, because when it's placed in the circuit, it does not conduct electricity 'cause that bulb does not light up.

We can test for thermal conductivity.

So here what we've got to do is we've got to set up some equipment.

So here's some thermochromic paper and this will change colour when it gets to a certain temperature.

So we're going to place our strips of metal or non-metal in a line.

We're going to put the thermochromic paper over the top.

We're going to place an electric iron at one end.

If the material conducts heat, then we should see that thermochromic paper change colour.

Let's watch the video together.

You can just start to see near the edge of the copper, thermochromic paper start to change colour.

You can see that none of the other rods are making the colour change, just the copper rod.

You can see from this, although we would expect steel to change colour, only copper conducts well enough to change the colour of the thermochromic paper.

Now we're going to look at how to test for hardness.

So what we're going to do is we're going to take a nail and we're going to scratch the surface.

You can see this is a metal and this is hard.

Then we're gonna have a look at this other one here.

This is a non-metal and you can see when we're scratching the surface, there's some little bits of the substance that flake off.

So that means that the non-metals are soft because you can scratch them with a metal nail.

Here we're going to test for malleability.

So what we're gonna do is we're going to bend the substance.

If the substance bends and takes its shape, it's a metal.

If not, then it's gonna be a non-metal.

So let's have a look here at this one.

You can see that's definitely metal because metal is malleable, it's bent into shape.

Now we're gonna have a look at another one.

So here's a glass rod and you can see what happens when this is bent, you can see that actually the material just snaps.

So it's not malleable.

This would be a non-metal 'cause non-metals are brittle.

What you're going to do now is you're going to carry out these tests to see if it's sonorous.

So it should make a musical sound when it's hit with a metal rod.

So for this, what you're going to need to do is you are going to need to hang your sample that you're testing from a string and then you're going to use the clamp to tie that string to.

You're going to hit it with a metal rod.

And if you make a musical sound, then you know it's a metal.

If it makes a dull sound, then it's a non-metal.

The sound that a triangle instrument makes is sonorous.

So you know that a triangle is made out of metal.

Here's a table comparing metals and non-metals.

What you should see from this is the properties of metals are opposite to the properties of non-metals.

So metals are hard compared to non-Metals that are soft.

Metals are sonorous, they make that ringing noise.

Non-metals will make a dull sound.

Metals are ductile means you can pull 'em into wires.

Non-metals are not ductile, you cannot pull 'em into wires.

Metals are shiny compared to non-metals that are dull.

Metals are malleable, which means that you can bend them into shape, whereas non-metals are brittle and will snap.

Metals are good conductors of electricity and non-metals are insulators.

So they're electrical insulators.

That means that they do not conduct electricity.

Metals are thermal conductors means that they can conduct thermal energy.

non-metals are thermal insulators, which means that they do not conduct thermal energy.

Metals have got high melting and boiling point.

non-metals have got a low melting and boiling point.

So these are the comparisons between metals and non-metals.

They generally speaking, have completely opposite properties.

In general, metals and non-metals have opposite properties to each other.

So if you have a look, we're looking for it being hard.

Metal is hard.

Non-metal isn't.

Sonorous, again, ticking the metal, crossing the non-metal.

Ductile, yeah, that's a property that metals have got.

Non-metals don't have that property.

Shiny, definitely metals have got that And non-metals don't.

Malleable, yeah, that's to do with bending into shape.

So metals are malleable.

Non-metals are not malleable.

Conducting electricity, metals do that.

non-metals don't.

Conducting heat, definitely metals do that.

Non-metals don't do that.

High melting and boiling point, yes, for the metals, no, for the non-metals.

Let's have a quick check for understanding.

I want you to select one answer.

When testing to see for substance conducts electricity, we can heat one end of the substance and the temperature of the other end will not increase.

Heat one end of the substance and the temperature of the other end will increase.

Set up a simple circuit including a bulb and the substance in the circuit.

The bulb will light up.

Set up a simple circuit including a bulb and the substance in the circuit and the bulb will not light up.

Pause the video, select your answer, and press play and we'll go through the answers together.

Well done if you said that you needed to set up a simple circuit, including a bulb and the substance in the circuit and the bulb will light up.

Well done if you've got that one correct.

True or false, all elements are shiny.

Is that true or is that false? Pause the video for some thinking time and press play when you've got your answer.

Well done if you said that that statement of all elements are shiny is false.

Let's see if you can find a reason why.

So only the metal elements are shiny.

Only the non-metal elements are shiny.

So pause the video, how a little think.

Once you've got your answer, press play.

Well done if you said only the metal elements are shiny.

Complete the sentence.

If a substance is shiny and can bend and stay in the new shape, it means that it is a.

Is it a malleable metal, a ductile metal or a brittle non-metal? Pause the video for some thinking time.

Press play when you've got your answer.

Well done if you said it's a malleable metal, malleable means that you can bend something into shape.

Here's part one of Task C.

Find the following elements on the periodic table and state if they are metal or non-metal.

So here's five for you, they're the element symbols, and then six to 10, they're the element names.

Pause the video, find the elements, tell me if they're metal or a non-metal and then press play and we'll go through the answers together.

Well done for completing that task.

So Na is sodium and that is a metal.

S is sulphur.

That is a non-metal.

So you're going to find that on the right hand side of the periodic table.

Iron is a metal, oxygen is a non-metal.

Iridium is a metal.

Then we've got six to 10.

So bromine is a non-metal.

Gold is a metal, yttrium's a metal, neon's a non-metal, radon's a non-metal.

So remember on the left hand side and in the middle are the metals and on the right hand side of the periodic table are the non-metals.

Well done if you've got all 10 of those correct.

Here's part two of Task C.

What I'd like you to do is complete the missing information on this table.

So here's a table.

On the left hand side we've got all the properties, so hard, sonorous, ductile, appearance.

So that's what it looks like.

Malleable electrical conductor or insulator, melting point, metal or non-metal.

And then down the columns we've got element A, element B, element C, element D, element E.

What I want you to do is complete all of the information that's missing.

So pause the video whilst you do that, then press play and we'll go through the answers together.

Well done for completing that task.

Let's go through the answers.

So element A, so we know that it's sonorous and we know that it's shiny.

So at this point you're probably thinking it's a metal.

So let's go through putting in the metallic properties there.

So it's hard, it's ductile, it's malleable.

So you should have yes, yes, yes.

It's an electrical conductor, so you should have the word conductor there.

It's got a high melting point, that means it's definitely a metal.

So element B, it's not hard, it's not ductile, it's not malleable, and it's got a low melting point.

So hopefully there you're going to then remember that that is a non-metal.

And you're going to put in the non-metal responses of sonorous.

No, it's dull, it's an insulator and that is definitely the properties of a non-metal.

And then C, all the properties are given here.

Now if we take a look at C, you can see that it is a electrical conductor.

However, it's not got all the other properties that are the same as metals.

So that's going to make it a non-metal.

D here it's ductile, it's malleable and it's got a high melting point, so that must be a metal.

So let's fill in the properties of the metal.

So it's hard, it's sonorous, it's shiny, it conducts electricity and that is a metal and E, it's told you it's a metal.

So all you've got to do then is just repeat those properties.

So yes, it's sonorous, yes, it's shiny and yes, it's got a high melting point.

So well done if you've got all of those correct, you've done really well.

Here's a summary for today's lesson.

Metals are good thermal and electrical conductors.

They are strong, shiny, malleable, and ductile.

Non-metals are normally poor thermal and electrical conductors.

They are not strong and are dull and brittle.

Graphite is an exception.

It is a non-metal that is a good electrical and thermal conductor.

Metals are found on the left side and in the middle of the periodic table.

Non-metals are on the right hand side.

Well done for working really hard this lesson.

I hope you are now more knowledgeable and more confident about describing the properties of a metal and a non-metal, where you would find 'em on the periodic table and how to test their properties to determine if a substance is a metal or a non-metal.

So well done for working really hard this lesson.

I hope to see you again sometime soon.