Properties and Uses of Metals Elements

Metals and
their Symbols
Copper
(Cu)

Appearance

Properties

Uses

Reddish brown
solid

- Good conductor of
electricity
- Ductile
- Corrosion resistant
- Strong

- Copper wires
- Pipes

Zinc
(Zn)

Grey solid

- Good conductor of
electricity
- Corrosion resistant
- Strong

- Zinc is used inside

batteries to produce
electricity
- Zinc plating for coins

Aluminum
(Al)

Silvery shiny
solid

- Cooking foils
- Drink cans

Mercury
(Hg)

Silvery liquid

- Does not react easily with

other chemicals
- Mercury vapour is
fluorescent (gives out light)
- Good conductor of heat
- Expands evenly on heating

- Used in thermometers
- Used to measure blood
pressure

Magnesium
(Mg)

Grey solid

Iron
(Fe)

Grey solid

- Burns with a dazzling white

light
- Forms alkali to neutralize
excess acid in stomach
- Good conductor of heat and
electricity
- Ductile
- Strong
- Magnetic

- Used to make milk of

magnesia which is
used to relieve acid
indigestion
- Used to make cutlery.

Low density
Corrosion resistant
Strong and light
Malleable

Properties and Uses of Non-Metals Elements

Non-Metals
and their
symbols
Iodine
(I)

Appearance

Properties

Uses

Black Crystals

- Used as antiseptic
in medicine

Chlorine
(Cl)

Greenish yellow
gas

- Poisonous
- Antiseptic
- (prevents wound
infection)
- Poisonous
- Bleaches dyes

Sulphur
(S)

Yellow powdery
solid

- Poisonous
- Soluble in organic
solvent
- (e.g. alcohol) but not
in water

- Used to make
rubber tyres harder
through a process
called
vulcanization

Diamond
(Carbon, C)

Hardest substance
known to man

- Can be polished to
form a shiny,
reflecting, transparent
solid

- Used as diamond
drills to cut through
very hard metal

Graphite
(Carbon, C)

Black solid

- Used to make
rackets

Hydrogen
(H)

Colourless gas

- Smooth
- Lightweight
- Good conductor of
electricity
- Gas with the lowest
density
- Explosive

Nitrogen (N)

Colourless gas

- Used to make
fertiliser for farm

Oxygen
(O)

Colourless gas

- Non-reactive, does
not burn or support
combustion
- Low boiling point
- Essential for life
- Does not burn but
support combustion

Neon
(Ne)

Colourless and
odorless

- Exist as a single atom

- Noble gas

Used in making neon

advertising signs

Helium
(He)

Colourless and
odorless

- Exist as a single atom

- Noble gas

- airships and balloons

can be filled with the
gas to gain lift.
- Helium is used to
condense hydrogen
and oxygen to make
rocket fuel.

- Used for bleaches

for clothes

- Used to fill weather

balloons and
blimps

- Used in the flames

for welding

First 20 Elements and their Symbols

Proton No Name
Symbol
1
Hydrogen
H
2
Helium
He
3
Lithium
L
4
Beryllium
Be
5
Boron
B
6
Carbon
C
7
Nitrogen
N
8
Oxygen
O
9
Fluorine
F
10
Neon
Ne
11
Sodium
Na
12
Magnesium Mg
13
Aluminum
Al
14
Silicon
Si
15
Phosphorus P
16
Sulfur
S
17
Chlorine
Cl
18
Argon
Ar
19
Potassium
K
20
Calcium
Ca