Physical properties of metal

Physical properties of metal 

Metals and non-metals can be identified on the
basis of their appearance and other physical
properties like hardness, lustre, malleability,
ductility, conductivity, etc. Let us discuss some of these physical properties here.

 Hardness

Touch an iron rod and a plastic rod. Do you feel

any difference?

Metals (e.g., iron and aluminium) are generally

hard, except for sodium and potassium which are

soft and can be cut easily with a knife.

Non-metals are generally soft. However, the
hardest substance found in nature is a diamond,
which is a form of carbon (a non-metal).

Physical state

Metals are generally solid with the exception of
mercury, which is a liquid at room temperature
(20–25°C). Mercury is the shiny liquid in the
thermometer.
Non-metals could be solids, liquids, or gases. For
example, carbon, sulphur, and phosphorus are
solids at room temperature. Oxygen, hydrogen,
and nitrogen are however gases at room
temperature. Bromine is the only non-metal
which is a liquid at room temperature.

Shine or lustre

A new steel spoon or a steel plate has a shining
surface. You can even see your face in it. All
metals are shiny in appearance. The shine in
metals is called lustre. Some metals like gold and silver  have so much lustre that they are used for
making jewellery
Non-metals are generally dull. However, diamond
which is made from the non-metal carbon is
highly lustrous.