Metal and NonMetal definition and properties and The Complete List of Metal andNon-Metals

Elements may be classified as either metals or nonmetals based on their properties. Much of the time, you can tell an element is a metal simply by looking at its metallic luster, but this isn't the only distinction between these two general groups of elements. Here's a look at the differences between the metals and nonmetals.

Ø  Definition of Metal

Most elements are metals. This includes the alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, transition metals, lanthanides, and actinides.

 On the periodic table, metals are separated from nonmetals by a zig-zag line stepping through carbon, phosphorus, selenium, iodine and radon. These elements and those to the right of them are nonmetals. Elements just to the left of the line may be termed metalloids or semimetals and have properties intermediate between those of the metals and nonmetals. The physical and chemical properties of the metals and nonmetals may be used to tell them apart.

Metal Physical Properties

• lustrous (shiny)
• good conductors of heat and electricity
• high melting point
• high density (heavy for their size)
• malleable (can be hammered)
• ductile (can be drawn into wires)
• usually solid at room temperature (an exception is mercury)
• opaque as a thin sheet (can't see through metals)
• metals are sonorous or make a bell-like sound when struck

Metal Chemical Properties

• have 1-3 electrons in the outer shell of each metal atom and lose electrons readily

• corrode easily (e.g., damaged by oxidation such as tarnish or rust)
• lose electrons easily
• form oxides that are basic
• have lower electronegativities
• are good reducing agent

The Complete List of Metals

Element	Symbol	Number In Periodic Table
Lithium	Li	3
Beryllium	Be	4
Sodium	Na	11
Magnesium	Mg	12
Aluminum	Al	13
Potassium	K	19
Calcium	Ca	20
Scandium	Sc	21
Titanium	Ti	22
Vanadium	V	23
Chromium	Cr	24
Manganese	Mn	25
Iron	Fe	26
Cobalt	Co	27
Nickel	Ni	28
Copper	Cu	29
Zinc	Zn	30
Gallium	Ha	31
Rubidium	Rb	37
Strontium	Sr	38
Yttrium	Y	39
Zirconium	Zr	40
Niobium	Nb	41
Molybdenum	Mo	42
Technetium	Tc	43
Ruthenium	Ru	44
Rhodium	Rh	45
Palladium	Pd	46
Silver	Ag	47
Cadmium	Cd	48
Indium	In	49
Tin	Sn	50
Cesium	Cs	55
Barium	Ba	56
Lanthanum	La	57
Cerium	Ce	58
Praseodymium	Pr	59
Neodymium	Nd	60
Promethium	Pm	61
Samarium	Sm	62
Europium	Eu	63
Gadolinium	Gd	64
Terbium	Tb	65
Dysprosium	Dy	66
Holmium	Ho	67
Erbium	Er	68
Thulium	Tm	69
Ytterbium	Yb	70
Lutetium	Lu	71
Hafnium	Hf	72
Tantalum	Ta	73
Tungsten	W	74
Rhenium	Re	75
Osmium	Os	76
Iridium	Ir	77
Platinum	Pt	78
Gold	Au	79
Mercury	Hg	80
Thallium	Tl	81
Lead	PB	82
Bismuth	Bi	83
Polonium	Po	84
Francium	Fr	87
Radium	Ra	88
Actinium	Ac	89
Thorium	Th	90
Protactinium	Pa	91
Uranium	U	92
Neptunium	Np	93
Plutonium	Pu	94
Americium	Am	95
Curium	Cm	96
Berkelium	Bk	97
Californium	Cf	98
Einsteinium	Es	99
Fermium	Fm	100
Mendelevium	Md	101
Nobelium	No	102
Lawrencium	Lr	103
Rutherfordium	Rf	104
Dubnium	Db	105
Seaborgium	Sg	106
Bohrium	Bh	107
Hassium	Hs	108
Meitnerium	Mt	109
Darmstadtium	Ds	110
Roentgenium	Rg	111
Copernicium	Cn	112
Ununtrium	Uut	113
Flevorium	Fl	114
Livermorium	Lv	116

Ø  Definition of Nonmetal

Nonmetals, with the exception of hydrogen, are located on the right side of the periodic table. Elements that are nonmetals are hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, oxygen, sulfur, selenium, all of the halogens, and the noble gases.

 Nonmetal Physical Properties

• not lustrous (dull appearance)
• poor conductors of heat and electricity
• nonductile solids
• brittle solids
• may be solids, liquids or gases at room temperature
• transparent as a thin sheet
• nonmetals are not sonorous

Nonmetal Chemical Properties

• usually have 4-8 electrons in their outer shell
• readily gain or share valence electrons
• form oxides that are acidic
• have higher electronegativities
• are good oxidizing agents

The Complete List of Non-Metals

Element	Element Symbol	Number In Periodic Table
Hydrogen	H	1
Helium	He	2
Carbon	C	6
Nitrogen	N	7
Oxygen	O	8
Fluorine	F	9
Neon	Ne	10
Phosphorus	P	15
Sulfur	S	16
Chlorine	Cl	17
Argon	Ar	18
Selenium	Se	34
Bromine	Br	35
Krypton	Kr	36
Iodine	I	53
Xenon	Xe	54
Astatine	At	85
Radon	Rn	117
Oganesson	Og	118

Both metals and nonmetals take different forms (allotropes), which have different appearances and properties from each other. For example, graphite and diamond are two allotropes of the nonmetal carbon, while ferrite and austenite are two allotropes of iron. While nonmetals may have an allotrope that appears metallic, all of the allotropes of metals look like what we think of as a metal (lustrous, shiny).