Video Transcript
Which of the following is not a
common property of nonmetals? (A) Poor electrical conductance,
(B) brittleness, (C) poor thermal conductance, (D) low density, or (E) shine.
We are asked about nonmetals. Nonmetals tend to be located on the
right-hand side of the periodic table and include familiar elements, like carbon,
nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and some which are perhaps not so familiar, like
selenium. Nonmetals include the noble gases
as well as hydrogen in group one. Nonmetals tend to have similar
properties and behaviors. A property is a quality or an
attribute or a characteristic by which we can describe something.
The question asks, which is not a
common property of nonmetals? So, first, we need to know what
properties are common to most nonmetals. In general, most nonmetals tend to
be dull in appearance if they are solids, which means not shiny or lustrous like
metals are. When they are in gas form, they
tend to be colorless. Nonmetals are said to be
inductile. That is, they cannot be pulled into
long, thin wires. Nonmetal solids are also not
malleable. That is, they cannot be hammered
into thin, flat sheets. A term which encompasses both
inductile and not malleable is brittle.
Many solid nonmetals when they are
hammered either crack or shatter. This is because these covalently
bonded molecules have weak intermolecular attraction. And so relatively little mechanical
energy is required to separate the particles. Nonmetals tend to be low in density
and are poor conductors of heat and electricity, since they do not have movable
charge-carrying particles to move between the molecules.
There are a couple of exceptions,
for example, graphite. Graphite, which is made of carbon,
is found in pencils. But remember, we are looking at
general nonmetal properties. Since we are looking for properties
which are not common to nonmetals, we can rule out those properties which are common
to nonmetals, which are (A) poor electrical conductance, (B) brittleness, (C) poor
thermal conductance, (D) low density. And we are left with (E) shine. We know that this is not true of
nonmetals and that most nonmetal solids are dull and do not have luster or
shine. Finally, which of the following is
not a common property of nonmetals? The answer is (E), shine.
