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Nature of Matter: Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures

Between a metal and a non-metal

Phones and computers have chips made from silicon. Is silicon a metal?

Three elements, three tests: shine, a hit, and electricity.
Step 1 of 4
  1. Three elements, three tests: shine, a hit, and electricity.
  2. Copper has a metal shine and flattens. It carries electricity well. A metal.
  3. Sulfur has no metal shine and breaks into bits. It carries none. A non-metal.
  4. Silicon has a metal shine, yet it breaks. It carries electricity poorly. In between.

No. Silicon sits between metals and non-metals.

Silicon and boron are two metalloids. Germanium is a third. Chemists put them between metals and non-metals. Scientists do not agree on one full list.

The rule

A metalloid is an element that sits between metals and non-metals. Silicon is shiny, like a metal. It breaks into bits, like sulfur. It carries electricity, but poorly.

A teacher runs these tests. Do not hit or test unknown solids yourself.

Test three samples. Tap the kind of each one.

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This track

  1. 0 Start here
  2. 1 What pure means here
  3. 2 Substances that will not come apart
  4. 3 An agreed short name
  5. 4 Joined in a fixed ratio
  6. 5 Together, but not joined
  7. 6 Trying to get the parts back
  8. 7 Sorting everyday things into piles
  9. 8 Atoms joined as one particle
  10. 9 Which states are mixed?
  11. 10 Checkpoint: molecules and mixtures
  12. 11 Between a metal and a non-metal
  13. 12 Minerals from the ground
  14. 13 Same acid, different gas
  15. 14 What counts as matter?
  16. 15 Checkpoint: metalloids, minerals, the acid test and matter
  17. 16 The big picture
  18. 17 Track quiz

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