Education Always

Level: JHS, Basic 7  |  Subject: Integrated Science  |  Strand: Diversity of Matter  |  Sub-strand: Materials

Curriculum reference: B7.1.1.2 Understand the periodic table as metals, non-metals and noble gases arranged in order.

1. What is the Periodic Table?

• The periodic table is a chart that arranges all the known elements in order, according to their atomic number and their properties.
• An element is a pure substance made of only one kind of atom, for example iron, oxygen and gold.
• Each element has a name and a symbol, for example Hydrogen (H), Oxygen (O), Carbon (C), Sodium (Na), Iron (Fe), Gold (Au).
• The vertical columns are called groups. The horizontal rows are called periods.

2. How the Elements are Arranged

Part of the table	Type of element	Examples
Left and centre	Metals	Sodium, iron, copper, gold, aluminium
Right side	Non-metals	Carbon, oxygen, sulphur, nitrogen
Far right column (Group 18)	Noble gases	Helium, neon, argon

3. Properties of Metals

• Shiny when polished.
• Good conductors of heat and electricity (that is why cooking pots and electric wires are made of metals).
• Malleable (can be hammered into sheets) and ductile (can be drawn into wires).
• Strong and hard, and usually have a high melting point.
• Sonorous (make a ringing sound when struck).
• Most are solids at room temperature. Mercury is a liquid metal.

4. Properties of Non-metals

• Dull, not shiny (except iodine and graphite).
• Poor conductors of heat and electricity (graphite is an exception).
• Brittle when solid (they break easily) and not malleable or ductile.
• Low melting points. Many are gases (oxygen, nitrogen) and some are solids (carbon, sulphur).

5. Noble Gases

• The noble gases are helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon and radon.
• They are colourless gases that hardly react with other substances, so we say they are unreactive or inert.
• Helium: used to fill balloons and airships because it is very light and does not burn.
• Neon: used in bright advertising and shop signs.
• Argon: used in electric bulbs and in welding.

6. Uses of Some Metals and Non-metals

Element	Use
Copper	Electric wires
Aluminium	Cooking pots, roofing sheets
Iron	Nails, tools, buildings
Gold	Jewellery
Carbon	Charcoal for cooking, pencil lead (graphite)
Oxygen	Breathing
Sulphur	Making matches and medicines

Remember: Metals are on the left and centre of the periodic table, non-metals are on the right, and the noble gases are in the last column.

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