Question 5:
You are given a hammer, a battery, a bulb, wires and a switch.
(a) How could you use them to distinguish between samples of metals and non-
metals?
(b) Assess the usefulness of these tests in distinguishing between metals and
nonmetals.
Answer
(a)With the hammer, we can beat the sample and if it can be beaten into thin sheets
(that is, it is malleable), then it is a metal otherwise a non-metal. Similarly, we
can use the battery, bulb, wires, and a switch to set up a circuit with the sample.
If the sample conducts electricity, then it is a metal otherwise a non-metal.
(b) The above tests are useful in distinguishing between metals and non-metals as
these are based on the physical properties. No chemical reactions are involved in
these tests.
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