Metals, Non-Metals, Metalloids, and Noble Gases

Metals, non-metals, and metalloids are different elements with different identities and properties. The metals are good conductors of electricity and heat, and they can also be converted into thin sheets and long wires as they are malleable and ductile. Multiple types of metals are there, which remain in their solid state at room temperature and have a silver shine too. However, mercury is a type of metal that is in liquid form. The non-metals are generally bad at conducting electricity and heat. They don’t have a ductile or malleable nature. Moreover, some non-metals are in the gaseous form at room temperature, whereas others are in the liquid or solid-state. Last but not least, metalloids usually have intermediate properties. They act more like non-metal in their physical properties, but in some rare cases, they can conduct electricity. That’s why these are also called semiconductors, and they are also used in computers, electronics, motors, etc.

The difference in Metals, Metalloids, & Non-metals

Metals are generally high in conductivity with less amount of ionisation energy. Whereas the metalloids fall between the metal and non-metals. Furthermore, the non-metals have high ionisation energy and low conductivity of heat and electricity.

Heat Conductivity

The metals have the highest conductivity of heat, the metalloids have a medium capacity to conduct the heat, and the non-metals are poor when it comes to heat conductivity.

Ionisation Energy

The metals have less ionisation energy, metalloids have a medium ionisation energy level, while the non-metals are high in ionisation energy.

Electrical Conductivity

The metals are good conductors of electricity, metalloids can be a conductor of electricity in some rare cases, and that’s the reason it is also called semiconductors. Moreover, the non-metals are bad conductors of electricity.

Examples:

Metals – Sodium, Lithium, Calcium, Barium, Magnesium, Lead, Bismuth, Indium, Iron, Copper, Nickel, Zinc, etc.

Non-metals – Bromine, Iodine, Helium, Argon, Krypton, Neon, Phosphorous, Sulfur, etc.

Metalloids – Tellurium, Polonium, Antimony, Arsenic, etc.

Position in the Periodic Table

• Metals are present on the left side of the periodic table
• Non-metals are on the right in the periodic table
• Metalloids are in the centre of the periodic table

Location in Blocks

• Metals are present in s, p, d, and f blocks
• Non-metals are present in s and p blocks
• Metalloids are present in the p block

Appearance

• Metals are shiny
• Non-metals are dull
• Metalloids are shiny as well as dull at the same time

Noble Gases

The noble gases don’t have any colour, taste, or odour as well as they are non-flammable gases. These gases are labelled as group 0 in the periodic table because after these gases were discovered, it was found that they were not able to bond with other atoms. This means that their atoms cannot combine with the atoms of other elements for making chemical compounds. However, their electronic structure and the assumption that some of them can make compounds resulted in an appropriate designation, i.e. Group 18. After the discovery and identification of the group members, these gases were thought to be rare and chemically inert at the same time. Therefore, these were then known as inert or rare gases. Furthermore, in chemistry and alchemy, the term noble means the reluctance of the metals like platinum, gold, etc., to conduct the chemical reaction.

History of Noble Gases

In 1785, a chemist and physicist, “Henry Cavendish” noticed that air holds a small proportion of less than a percent of a substance that is less active chemically compared to nitrogen. After a century passed, another physicist,Lord Rayleigh”, isolated a gas from the air that was pure according to his assumption and analysis. But, later, he got to know that it was denser compared to the nitrogen formed by the process of liberating it from its compounds. Later in 1894, a Scottish chemist “William Ramsay” joined “Rayleigh” to isolate this gas, and then they discovered a new element known as ‘argon’.

Conclusion

These differences between metals, non-metals, metalloids and noble gases study material conclude that metals, non-metals, and metalloids are different elements with different properties and nature. Moreover, it also tells how their physical and chemical properties are dissimilar. There are plenty of examples of the elements mentioned above with their conductivity, place, appearance, etc.