Name
Date
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Hands-On Activities
What type is it?
Lab Preview
Directions: Answer these questions before you begin the Activity.
1. Why do you need to take precautions when using electricity?
2. What are some visual differences of metals and nonmetals?
Suppose you want an element for a certain use. You might be able to use a
metal but not a nonmetal. In this activity, you will test several metals and
nonmetals and compare their properties.
What You’ll Investigate
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
How can you use properties to distinguish
metals from nonmetals?
Materials
samples C, Mg, Al, S, and Sn
dishes for the samples
conductivity tester
spatula
small hammer
Goals
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■
■
Observe physical properties.
Test the malleability of the materials.
Identify electrical conductivity in the given
materials.
Safety Precautions
Procedure
1. Observe and record in the table on the next
page the appearance of each element sample.
Include its physical state, color, and whether
it is shiny or dull.
2. Remove a small sample of one of the elements. Place it on a hard surface chosen by
your teacher. Gently tap the sample with a
hammer. The sample is malleable if it flattens when tapped and brittle if it shatters.
Record your results in the table.
3. Repeat step 2 for each sample.
4. Test the conductivity of each element by
touching the electrodes of the conductivity
tester to a sample. If the bulb lights, the
element conducts electricity. Record your
results.
Elements and Their Properties
5
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Activity (continued)
Observing Properties
Element
Appearance
Malleable or brittle/
Electrical conductivity
1. carbon
2. magnesium
3. aluminum
4. sulfur
5. tin
Conclude and Apply
1. Locate each element you used on the periodic table. Compare your results with what you
would expect from an element in that location.
2. Locate palladium, Pd, on the periodic table. Use the results you obtained during the activity to
predict some of the properties of palladium.
3. Infer why some elements might show properties of metals as well as properties of nonmetals.
Communicating Your Data
Compare your results with those of other students. For more help, refer to the Science
Skill Handbook.
6 Elements and Their Properties
Copyright © Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, a division of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Hands-On Activities
Data and Observations