Difference Between Metals and Nonmetals

Metals vs Nonmetals
It is said that among the simplest chemical substance freely roaming in the air, deep down the seas and all around the world, there stands the fact that they were formed in many, complex ways. As sugar and salt compounds differ on chemical composition, elements differ too on their structure. These elements comprising everything our eyes can see can be grouped and classified into metals and nonmetals. Both of these have been contributing great benefits in our world’s modernization and progress since people have widened their ideas in using it. Although both useful, metals and nonmetals obviously vary on their uses and characteristics.

Metals can be considered by many as the heart of most modern structures that we see today. And most of these metals have intense tensile strength that can support heavy loads. Because of this property, metals can be used for constructing towering buildings and enormous bridges. Metals are used in making those World War weapons, in making kitchen knives, and in making the carpenter’s saw. They are also used for making cooking utensils because they can withstand or endure very high temperatures.

Because metals are malleable, they can be formed into all sorts of shapes. They can be turned into conducting wires too because of their ductility. These uses are commonly determined by their properties. Their hardness or its resistance from deformity, durability or the resistance from corrosion or rusting and it’s melting and boiling point are important properties we should examine. Some properties which help indicate when an element is a metal or not are its electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity and tensile strength. A metal such as gold, silver, aluminum, copper and bronze have high electrical conductivity and tensile strength.

Meanwhile, unlike metals which are classified as hard, malleable chemical element, Nonmetals bear those properties quite opposite from their counterparts. Usually, these elements which are in the form of gases or those brittle solids without luster, are characteristic of a metal being polished or in short, being shiny. Most of these nonmetals are poor conductors of heat and electricity. However, these properties of nonmetals are also the ones predicting their uniqueness uses. Elements in liquid or gaseous form such as carbon have many uses too. Carbon occurs in nature in pure form in diamond and graphite. These two substances which are famous allotropes of carbon gives also many significant benefits like those of graphite fibers woven with plastics used in making tennis rackets and lightweight aircrafts. Compounds of carbon are burned for fuel and are used to heat homes and metals. Oxygen, another example of nonmetal, has proved us that nonmetals are as useful as metals. The world today uses oxygen’s help to purify safe, drinking water. It deodorizes air, bleaches waxes, oils, and textiles. Some nonmetals are also used as electrical insulators, in disinfecting swimming pools and as main ingredients of some insecticides and antiseptics.

Although they obviously are different in terms of physical and chemical properties, metals and nonmetals have big factors in the present society’s great leap for humankind. It would be very impossible if both haven’t existed in this world. So, we should at least try our very best to balance and properly use these things because that’s what our world deserves.
Summary:

1. Metals and nonmetals vary in terms of physical and chemical properties but are as important in the advancement of the society.
2. Metals are used because of their durability. They are strong enough to build skyscrapers, bridges and other useful tools.
3. Nonmetals, on the other hand, come in the form of gas most of the time. Carbon and oxygen are the most important types of nonmetals.

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