2.4.1

Physical Properties

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Physical Properties of Elements

Physical properties of elements are properties of elements that we are able to test without them undergoing any changes.

Physical properties

Physical properties

  • These properties are seen and tested without changing the element.
  • We will look at the different properties on the next slides...
Colour

Colour

  • Colours of the elements vary.
    • Most metals are silver in colour.
    • Gases like hydrogen and helium are colourless.
    • Carbon is black.
    • Sulphur is yellow.
Density

Density

  • The density of an element will determine if it will sink or float.
    • Hydrogen has the lowest density of all elements.
    • Helium has the second lowest. This is why hydrogen and helium float in air.
    • Lithium is the least dense metal which is why it floats on water.
    • Mercury is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature, and it is also 13.5x more dense than water.
    • This means other metals could float on mercury but sink in water.
Boiling point

Boiling point

  • The boiling point is the temperature that an element will change from a liquid to a gas.
  • It is also the temperature of condensation – when an element will change from a gas to a liquid.
    • The boiling point of water is 100°C. But water is a compound, not an element.
    • The element with the lowest boiling point is helium at -269°C.
    • The element with the highest boiling point is rhenium at 5,596°C, followed by tungsten at 5,555°C.
Melting point

Melting point

  • The melting point is the temperature at which an element will change from a solid to a liquid. It is also the temperature of freezing - when an element will change from a liquid to a solid.
    • The melting point of water is 0°C. But water is a compound, not an element.
    • The element with the lowest melting point is helium at -272°C.
    • The element with the highest melting point is carbon at 4,500°C.
Jump to other topics
1

Biology

1.1

Cells, Tissues & Organs

1.2

Reproduction & Variation

1.3

Ecological Relationships & Classification

1.4

Digestion & Nutrition

1.5

Plants & Photosynthesis

1.6

Biological Systems & Processes

2

Chemistry

2.1

Particles

2.2

Chemical Reactions

2.3

Atoms, Elements, Compounds

2.4

The Periodic Table

2.5

Materials & the Earth

2.6

Reactivity

2.7

Energetics

2.8

Properties of Materials

3

Physics

3.1

Energy

3.2

Forces & Motion

3.3

Waves

3.4

Electricity & Magnetism

3.5

Matter

3.6

Space Physics

4

Disciplinary Knowledge

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