Unit 5

Properties of Materials
5.1 Metals and Non-metals
5.2 Comparing Metals and Non-metals
Metals Non-metals

• Most are solid at room temperature • Many are gases at room

(except mercury- liquid) temperature
• Shiny • Dull
• Do not shatter • Brittle
• Conduct heat well • Do not conduct heat energy well
• Conduct electricity • Most do not conduct electricity
• Malleable (means can be hammered (known as insulators- means they
into shape) do not conduct heat or electricity)
• Ductile (means can be drawn out into • Low melting point and boiling
wires) point
• Sonorous
• High melting point and boiling point
5.3 Metal Mixtures (Alloys)
• Alloys are made by mixing different metals
together and melting them.
• The atoms of different
metals mix but do not bond
together
• The properties of alloys are
different from the metals
they contain.
• Eg. Bronze is made by
mixing copper and tin.
 Alloys in everyday life
Coins
• Silver coins = copper +
nickel
• Copper coins = copper +
zinc + tin
• Gold ring = gold + copper
Gold ring
• Pure gold is 24 carat
• 18 carat gold has parts of
pure gold, and 6 parts of
other metals
 Alloys in everyday life
Aeroplanes

• The metal used are light but

very strong
• Planes are mainly made of
aluminium, added with
magnesium and copper
 Modern Alloys
Glasses Artificial joints
• Some glasses are made of
shape memomy alloy called
Nitinol (made of nickel and
titanium)

• Artificial joints can be

used for arthritis patient
• Made of plastic and
alloys (often alloys of
 Brass

• Brass = alloy of copper and

zinc
• Copper and zinc has just
one temperature listed,
while brass has a range of
temperature, it has no
specific melting point,
depending on the
proportions of copper and
zinc used
 Bronze

• Bronze = alloy of copper

and tin
• Mixing different amount of
copper and tin makes
different forms of bronze
• Each different mixture has
its own different melting
point