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Nonmetal facts for kids

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Fluorite, a source of fluorine, in the form of an isolated crystal

Nonmetals are a special group of elements that are very different from metals. Unlike shiny, bendy metals, nonmetals are often dull, brittle, and don't conduct electricity or heat very well. They can be found in all three states of matter: gases, liquids, and solids.

For example, sulfur is a solid nonmetal that is yellow and not shiny at all. Bromine is a red liquid nonmetal. Many nonmetals are gases, like oxygen and nitrogen, which are in the air we breathe. Nonmetals are also great insulators, meaning they stop heat and electricity from passing through them easily. This is why they are used in things like electrical wiring insulation.



Where are Nonmetals Found?

Even though there are fewer nonmetals than metals on the periodic table, they are incredibly important and common in the Universe. Two nonmetals, hydrogen and helium, make up more than 99% of everything we can see in space!

On Earth, oxygen is a nonmetal that makes up almost half of the Earth's crust, our oceans, and the atmosphere. This shows how vital nonmetals are to our planet.

Nonmetals and Life

Did you know that living things, like you and me, are made almost entirely of nonmetals? Elements like carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen are the building blocks of all life. Nonmetals also combine to form many more compounds than metals do. This means they are involved in countless chemical reactions that make life possible.

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Kids robot.svg In Spanish: No metal para niños

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