Exercise 1
Exploring the Properties of Elements
In this exercise, you will color the periodic table to designate the groups of elements. You will then research the physical and chemical properties of metals, nonmetals, and metalloids to determine the similarities and differences between the groups of elements.
Procedure
Part 1: Customizing a Periodic Table
Use a textbook or other valid source to determine which elements are metals, nonmetals, metalloids (called semimetals in some texts), alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, transition metals, halogens, and noble gases.
Download and print a copy of the Periodic Table of Elements.
Use colored pencils, colorful highlighters, or computer drawing tools to devise a schematic for designating each of the following on the periodic table:
Group numbers
Period number
Labels for these groups: alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, transition metals, inner transition metals (lanthanides and actinides), other metals, metalloids (semimetals), other nonmetals, halogens, and noble gases
Metals, nonmetals, and metalloids
Note: Write the group and period numbers and color/highlight each element for categorization. Be sure to include a key for the schematic.
Take a photo of the completed periodic table and upload the image into Photo 1.
Part 2: Properties of Element Groups
Use a textbook or other valid source to research the physical and chemical properties of each element listed in Data Table 1 using the following as a guideline:
Ductile (able to be deformed without losing toughness) and malleable (able to be hammered or pressed permanently out of shape without breaking or cracking) or not ductile or malleable
Good, semi, or poor conductors of electricity and heat
High or low melting and boiling points
Occur or do not occur uncombined/freely in nature
High, intermediate, or low reactivity
Loses or gains electrons during reactions or is not reactive
Part 3: Group Name and Number
Use the periodic table to identify the group name and group number of the elements listed in Data Table 2.
Record whether the elements are metals, nonmetals, or metalloids in Data Table 2.
Use a textbook or other reliable source to match each of the following descriptions to the correct element listed in Data Table 2:
Pale yellow, odorless, brittle solid at room temperature, nonconductor
Silvery white, relatively soft, low density, conductive solid that is not found as a free element in nature but commonly found combined in alloys with copper or nickel
Metallic luster and grayish solid, very common in rocks and gemstones such as amethyst and opal, semiconductor
Not found as a free element (uncombined) in nature, reddish-brown liquid that vaporizes readily at room temperature to a red gas with a strong disagreeable odor
Silvery-white, ductile, malleable, conductive solid with a high melting point for this type of element
Colorless, tasteless, and odorless gas, unreactive, nonconductive
Soft, easily cut with a knife to expose a silvery surface that rapidly oxidizes in air; never found uncombined in nature
Exercise 1 – Questions
Question 1
Describe how the properties of the different types of elements (metals, nonmetals, metalloids) differ.
Question 2
Explain what characteristics of metalloids are more like metals and which are more like nonmetals based on the research you conducted, and the information recorded in Data Table 1.
Question 3
Define the term “transition.” How does this definition apply to the transition metals?
