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Why are non-metals not shiny?

Updated: 12/4/2022
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7y ago

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Metals are shiny because their outer electrons not attached to any particular atom but are free to wander throughout the material with little resistance. This is also what makes metals conductive. So when light shines on metal it sets these free electrons into vibration so instead of energy springing from atom to atom it's reemitted as visible light. However, nonmetals may not have this property and therefore aren't shiny.

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13y ago
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Q: Why are non-metals not shiny?
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Related questions

Are physical properties of nonmetals shiny?

Nonmetals are generally not shiny. They tend to be dull.


Do nonmetals look shiny?

No. Nonmetals are dull, not lustrous.


What distinguishes nonmetals from metals?

metals are shiny and good conductors of heat and electricity. Nonmetals are dull and poor conductors of heat and electricity.


Shiny malleable ductile and generally conduct electricity and heat are qualities of what?

nonmetals


Is shiny a metal nonmetal or metalloid?

You can make almost anything shiny by polishing it.


What properties do metals generally share Nonmetals How does this relate to their location on the periodic table andor the type of ions they form?

Most are shiny.


How are solid nonmetals different from metals?

Metals are good conductors of electricity and heat; nonmetals usually aren't. Also, metals tend to have a shiny surface.


How do you identify metals nonmetals and semimetals?

Metals are hard, shiny, good conductors of heat and electricity and able to be melted and made into wire. Nonmetals have none of these characteristics and semimetals are somewhere in between. For more detail see the wikipedia articles.


What are the similarities metals and nonmetals have in common?

Metals and nonmetals are both in the periodic table. They both have atoms in them.


Which of the following is a property of nonmetals poor conductors of electric current very reactive with water malleable shiny?

Many - but not all - are poor conductors of electric current.


The term luster is most closely associated with which type of element?

All elements have luster, just different types. Metals have very shiny lusters. Nonmetals have very dull lusters. Metalloids are usually a mixture of the two, or one of the other. For example, Silicon is very brittle (like most nonmetals are) but has a shiny luster (like most metals)


Are metals or nonmetals shiny?

Generally speaking, non-metals are not shiny. Exceptions are diamonds (which are made out of carbon). Metals on the other hand can be either, however it depends on the composition of the metal itself. Sometimes you will see a metal that is covered in another, giving the illusion of it being shiny. For example in Copper Wiring, liquid tin is placed over the copper to increase its durability and strength, with the additional effect of it being shiny as well.