Nonmetals and Metalloids

Nonmetal Halogens

All the halogens except astatine are nonmetals.

Metalloids

Along the border between metals and nonmetals there is a group of elements called metalloids. The metalloids have characteristics of both metals and nonmetals.

Boron

Boron also combines with oxygen to form a compound that creates heat resistant glass when mixed with Silicon Dioxide and other ingredients.

Carbon's uses

Carbon is important in the chemistry of life, and is found in most fuels that are used for burning. For example, coal is made mostly of the element carbon.

Chlorine and Sodium

Chlorine is one of the elements in ordinary table salt and it is mixed with Calcium Chloride to make rock salt to clear roads.

Diatomic Molecules

Diatomic molecules consist only of two atoms. In the diatomic form, hydrogen isn't very reactive. Certain kinds of bacteria can use nitrogen and turn it into compounds, this is called nitrogen fixation.

Physical Properties of Metals

Dull, nonconductive, and brittle.

The Carbon Family

Each element in the carbon family has atoms that gain, lose or share four electrons when reacting. In group 14, carbon is the only nonmetal.

The nitrogen Family

Group 15 is the nitrogen family, it contains two nonmetals, nitrogen and phosphorous. These nonmetals usually gain or share three electrons. Nitrogen occurs in nature as diatomic molecules.

The Halogen Family

Group 17, the Halogen family contains fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine and astatine. They are known as halogens, (Salt Forming).

Reactivity of Halogen

Halogens are all very reactive and when they are uncombined, they are dangerous. Fluorine is so reactive that it reacts with almost every known substance.

Halogen Uses

Halogens are used in small amounts, so they are not dangerous. For example, chlorine is used in pools and water to kill bacteria and fluorine is in the carbon fluorine compound used in nonstick on cookware.

Uses

Helium is used in making balloons, noble gases are also used in the making of neon lights. Though sometimes argon, xenon or other noble gases are used instead of neon.

Oxygen's uses

Humans breathe oxygen into their lungs, also it is in your blood stream.

where Hydrogen is found

Hydrogen makes up 90% of the atoms in the universe. However Hydrogen is rarely found on Earth as a pure element, it is usually combined with oxygen to form water (H20).

Hydrogen

In the upper left corner of the periodic table is hydrogen. It has the simplest and smallest atoms. Each atom has one proton and one electron.

Semiconductors

Metalloids such as Silicon, Germanium and Arsenic are used as semiconductors. A semiconductor can conduct under certain circumstances but not in others.

Nitrogens uses

Nitrogen makes up 80% of the atmosphere.

Nonmetals

Nonmetals are the opposite of Metals. They are found on the right side of the Periodic Table. They do not conduct at all, they insulate and solid nonmetals are dull and brittle.

Nitrogen Fixation

Plants cannot take up nitrogen from the air, but after going through the fixation process, it can be taken up through the soil.

Chemical Properties of nonmetals

Reactive and rusting.

Gas nonmetals

Ten of the sixteen nonmetals are gases at room temperature.

The Noble Gases

The Noble gases are the gases in group 18, they do not ordinarily form compounds because they do not gain, share or lose electrons because their valence shells are full. They are usually unreactive so their is a smaller amount of them in Earths atmosphere than others.

Chemical Properties of Hydrogen

The chemical properties of hydrogen differ greatly from the other elements, therefore it cannot be grouped in a family.

Silicon

The most common metalloid is silicon. When silicon combines with oxygen, it forms Silicon Dioxide, which is the main component of ordinary sand, used in the production of glass.

Physical Properties

The most useful property of metalloids is varying ability to conduct or not conduct. The ability to conduct or not conduct can depend temp., exposure to or light or small amounts of impurities.

The families of nonmetals

The nonmetals are grouped in families with metalloids or metals. Group 18 is the only one that contains all nonmetals.

Phosphorous

The other nonmetal in the nitrogen family. Phosphorous is much more reactive than nitrogen so it is always found in compounds.

The oxygen family

The oxygen family contains 3 nonmetals, oxygen, sulfur and selenium. These usually gain or share two electrons when reacting. Because oxygen is so reactive, it combines with almost every element on Earth. It is also the most abundant element in Earth's crust and second in the atmosphere.

Characteristics of Metalloids

They are brittle, hard and somewhat reactive.