(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.

Answer:

(a) Metals are malleable and may readily be beaten into sheets with a hammer. Non-metals, on the other hand, break down when beaten and cannot be made into sheets because they are non-malleable. Metals are good conductors of electricity, therefore when you join metals with a battery, wire, and bulb, you get a bulb. Similarly, if non-metals are poor electrical conductors, they may fail to light the bulb when connected to wire and battery.

(b) These experiments can be useful in demonstrating the malleability and conductivity of metals and non-metals.