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COMPARING THE
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF
SOME ELEMENTS
EXPERIMENT:
INTRODUCTION
Pure substances (elements and compounds) can be identified by their physical and chemical
properties. Common properties are colour, physical state, melting and boiling points, density,
electrical conductivity, solubility, hardness and malleability.
Some properties are more useful in classifying elements into the groupings, metals, non-metals and
semi-metals than others.
Complete the following table.
PROPERTY
METALS
NON-METALS
SEMI-METALS
CONQUERINGCHEMISTRY PRELIM
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You may have found that because of the range of elements grouped under the non-metal category
there is quite a degree of variation in some of these properties.
TASK
You are to plan and perform a series of tests to decide whether the materials you have been given are
metals, non-metals or semi-metals.
1
Consider the answers you have given in the table and decide which properties (at least three)
would be the most appropriate for determining whether an element is a metal, non-metal or semimetal.
PROPERTY
TEST
Lustre
Clean the surface of the material with some abrasive paper and
observe the surface to determine if it is shiny, glassy, metallic,
pearly or dull.
Electrical conductivity
Hardness
Malleability
Solubility in water
Dip part of the sample into boiling water for 60 seconds and
observe whether it dissolves or softens.
Having completed the investigation decide on which group each of the materials fits into. It may
be useful to use the following as a guide.
CONQUERINGCHEMISTRY PRELIM
MODULE 1 WS 5
MATERIAL
LUSTRE
ELECTRICAL
MALLEABILITY
CONDUCTIVITY
HARDNESS
SOLUBILITY
GROUP
CONQUERINGCHEMISTRY PRELIM
MODULE 1 WS 5