Metals vs Non-Metals

Science · Matter & Materials · ages 11-13

Name ______________________ Date ____________

Which of these is a typical property of non-metals?
- Shiny surface
- Dull surface
- Good electrical conductor
A metal spoon gets bent into a new shape without cracking. Which property is this?
- Malleability
- Lustre
- Conductivity
Metals are usually good conductors of heat and electricity.
Circle one: True False
A builder chooses steel beams to hold up a bridge instead of a brittle non-metal. Which property of steel matters most here?
- Its malleability lets it be shaped and support heavy loads without snapping
- Its dull surface
- Its poor conductivity
Why are copper and aluminium used to make electrical wires?
- They are cheap and dull
- They resist electricity so it cannot escape
- They conduct electricity well and can be shaped into thin wires
Potassium sits near the bottom-left of the periodic table. Based on its position, is potassium likely reactive or unreactive?
- Unreactive
- Very reactive
- Neither, position does not matter
An element is a non-metal from the noble gas group, at the far right of the periodic table. Would you expect it to react easily with other elements?
- No, noble gases are very unreactive
- Only when heated to very high temperatures
- Yes, it reacts with almost everything
Mia found a shiny solid that shatters into pieces when hit with a hammer. Is it more likely a metal or a non-metal?
- Metal, because it is shiny
- Metal, because it shatters
- Non-metal, because it shatters instead of bending

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Dull surface · Non-metals often look dull rather than shiny, unlike most metals.
Malleability · Malleable materials, like most metals, can be shaped without breaking.
True · Free-moving particles inside metals let heat and electric current pass through easily.
Its malleability lets it be shaped and support heavy loads without snapping · A brittle material would crack under the load, while a malleable metal bends slightly and holds its shape.
They conduct electricity well and can be shaped into thin wires · Wires need a material that lets current flow and can be pulled into thin strands, so metals fit both jobs.
Very reactive · Elements on the left side of the periodic table, especially near the bottom, tend to react easily.
No, noble gases are very unreactive · Noble gases are the exception to the usual reactivity pattern. They are already stable, so they barely react at all.
Non-metal, because it shatters instead of bending · Lustre alone does not decide it. What happens when you hit it matters more: bending means malleable, shattering means brittle, so shine here is misleading.