Chemistry: Metals, Nonmetals, and Metalloids

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Questions and Answers

What is the typical charge of cations formed by metals during chemical reactions?

Variable charge

Negative charge

Neutral charge

Positive charge (correct)

Which of the following statements about nonmetals is true?

They are generally shiny and lustrous.

They can exist as gases, liquids, or solids at room temperature. (correct)

They easily lose electrons to form cations.

They are typically good conductors of heat.

What is the atomic number of chlorine (Cl)?

17 (correct)

In which group of the periodic table can halogens, such as chlorine, be found?

Group 17 Signup and view all the answers

What type of ion is formed when an atom gains electrons?

Anion Signup and view all the answers

Metalloids have properties that are:

Intermediate between metals and nonmetals. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following elements is a nonmetal?

Chlorine Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary use of chlorine in various applications?

In water purification and disinfectants. Signup and view all the answers

What happens to metal atoms in chemical reactions?

They lose electrons to form cations. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a characteristic of ionic compounds?

They consist of both metal cations and nonmetal anions. Signup and view all the answers

What does a superscript of 2+ on an ion indicate?

The ion has lost two electrons. Signup and view all the answers

What do subscripts and superscripts provide in chemical symbols?

The isotopic identity and charge of the element. Signup and view all the answers

If a compound has equal charges on cations and anions, what is the subscript for each ion?

Both subscripts are 1. Signup and view all the answers

How is the total positive charge in an ionic compound balanced?

By the total negative charge. Signup and view all the answers

What is the empirical formula in terms of ionic compounds?

The smallest whole-number ratio of the elements in the compound. Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of a superscript of 3- on an ion?

The ion has gained three electrons. Signup and view all the answers

What does the empirical formula of a compound represent?

The simplest whole-number ratio of atoms of each element Signup and view all the answers

What occurs during the formation of ions?

Atoms gain or lose electrons to achieve noble gas configuration Signup and view all the answers

What type of bond occurs in molecules formed from nonmetals?

Covalent bonds Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following properties is characteristic of ionic compounds?

High melting and boiling points Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about molecular formulas is true?

They indicate the actual numbers of atoms in a molecule Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes ionic compounds from molecular compounds?

Ionic compounds generally have higher melting points than molecular compounds Signup and view all the answers

Which of these statements correctly describes diatomic molecules?

They are made up of two atoms of the same or different elements Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of the electron transfer between sodium and chlorine?

NaCl is formed by the transfer of one electron from Na to Cl Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Metals

Metals have high electrical and thermal conductivity, luster, and malleability.
They tend to lose electrons in chemical reactions, forming positive ions (cations).
Most metals are solid at room temperature except mercury, which is liquid.

Nonmetals

Nonmetals lack the characteristics of metals.
They are poor conductors of heat and electricity, have lower density, and are not lustrous.
Nonmetals can be gases, liquids, or solids at room temperature.
They tend to gain electrons during chemical reactions, forming negative ions (anions).

Metalloids

Metalloids, or semimetals, have properties intermediate between metals and nonmetals.
They can exhibit varying degrees of electrical conductivity and often act as semiconductors.
Metalloids can behave as either metals or nonmetals depending on conditions.

Ions

Ions are atoms or molecules carrying a net charge due to the loss or gain of electrons.
Cations are positively charged ions.
Anions are negatively charged ions.
Metal atoms tend to lose electrons to form cations, while nonmetal atoms tend to gain electrons to form anions.
Ionic compounds are generally composed of both metal cations and nonmetal anions, as in NaCl.

Molecules

Molecules are groups of two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds (e.g., H₂, CO₂).
When an atom loses electrons, it becomes positively charged.
When an atom gains electrons, it becomes negatively charged.
The net charge on an ion is represented by a superscript.

Ionic Compounds

Ionic compounds are typically combinations of metals and nonmetals.
The ions in ionic compounds are arranged in three-dimensional structures.
The ions in an ionic compound always occur in a ratio that balances the total positive and negative charges.
If the charges on the cation and anion are equal, the subscript on each ion is 1.
If the charges are not equal, the charge on one ion (without its sign) becomes the subscript on the other.
The empirical formula is the smallest possible whole-number ratio of the elements in a compound.

Molecular Compounds

A molecule made up of two atoms is called a diatomic molecule.
Compounds composed of molecules contain more than one type of atom and are called molecular compounds.
Most molecular substances contain only nonmetals.

Molecular and Empirical Formulas

Molecular formulas indicate the actual numbers of atoms in a molecule.
Empirical formulas give only the relative number of atoms of each type in a molecule.
The subscripts in an empirical formula are always the smallest possible whole-number ratios.

Covalent Bonds

Covalent bonds involve the sharing of electron pairs between atoms.
An example is water (H₂O) formed by sharing electrons between hydrogen and oxygen.

Types of Compounds

Ionic compounds are formed by electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions.
Molecular compounds are formed by covalent bonds between atoms, sharing electrons.

Stoichiometry of Compounds

Empirical and molecular formulas indicate the ratio and actual number of atoms in a compound.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the properties and behaviors of metals, nonmetals, and metalloids. Understand their conductivity, reactivity, and classification as ions. This quiz will challenge your understanding of these fundamental chemical concepts.