You are given a hammer, a battery, a bulb, wires and a switch.
(a) How could you use them to distinguish between samples of metals and non-metals ?
(b) Assess the usefulness of these tests in distinguishing between metals and non – metals.

Explanation

(a) (i) We taken the given samples of metal and non metal place them on a block of iron and beat them with a hammer four or five times turn by turn. The sample which hanges into a thin sheet on hammering will be a metal. On the other hand, the samle which breaks into pieces on hammering (and does not form a thin sheet) will be a non-metal. We say that metals are maleable whereas non-meals are brittle.
(ii) Take battery, a torch bulb fitted in a holder, some wires with crocodile clips and a switch and connect them to make an electric circuit. Insert the given samples of the metal and non-metal between the free ends of the crocodile clips in the circuit, one by one. The sample which allows the current to pass through it making the bulb to light up will be a metal [as shown in figure (i)]. On the other

hand the sample which does not allow the current to pass through it and hence does not make the bulb to light up, while be a non metal [ as shown in figure(ii)]. We say that metals are good conductors of electricity whereas non metals do not conduct electricity.
(b) Since metals are malleable, they can be turned into sheets and these mtal sheets can then be used for varous purposes. For examles iron sheets re used for making boxes (turnks), buckets are roofing material. And because metals are good conductors of electricity, therefore metal wires are used as electric wires for various purposes. For examples, copper wires are used in domestic electric wiring for carrying electricity.