Metals and non-metals

• MetalMetal elements and non metal elements have different characteristic physical properties.
• A physical property is a characteristic that can be observed or measured.
• Metals are shiny, usually have a high melting and boiling point, solid at room temperature, malleable, ductile and good conductors.
• Non metals are usually dull, have a low melting and boiling points, are either solid or gas at room temperature, brittle, non ductile and poor conductors.
• Malleable means they bend without shattering
• Ductile means they can be pulled into wires.
• Metal elements and nometal elements have different chemical properties
• A chemical property is a characteristic of a substance that can only be determined by studying its chemical reactions.

  An example of this is when metals lose electrons to form positive ions but non metals gain electrons to form negative ions.
• Metals and non metals may react with oxygen to produce oxides but these have different properties if they dissolve in water. When dissolved in water , metal oxides produce alkaline solutions and non metal oxides produce acidic solutions.