Read the description.
shiny; ductile; solid at room temperature
Which of the elements best fits the description?
Helium (He)
Carbon (C)
Magnesium (Mg)
Sulfur (S)
sounds like the description of a metal
which one is metallic?
To determine which of the elements best fits the description, let's consider the given characteristics individually:
1. Shiny: This means the element should have a lustrous appearance.
- Helium (He) is a colorless and odorless gas, so it is not shiny.
- Carbon (C) can take on various forms such as graphite or diamond. Graphite is not shiny, but diamond is shiny. However, carbon in its pure form is not fundamentally shiny.
- Magnesium (Mg) is a silver-white metal that has a shiny appearance.
- Sulfur (S) is a yellow, brittle non-metal that is not shiny.
2. Ductile: This means the element should be capable of being drawn or stretched into a thin wire without breaking.
- Helium (He) is a gas, so it is not ductile.
- Carbon (C) can exist as graphite, which is brittle and not ductile.
- Magnesium (Mg) is ductile as it can be drawn into thin wires.
- Sulfur (S) is brittle and not ductile.
3. Solid at room temperature: This means the element should exist in a solid state under standard room temperature conditions.
- Helium (He) is a gas at room temperature, so it is not solid.
- Carbon (C) can exist as a solid, such as diamond or graphite.
- Magnesium (Mg) is a solid at room temperature.
- Sulfur (S) is also a solid at room temperature.
Based on these characteristics, the element that best fits the description of being shiny, ductile, and solid at room temperature is Magnesium (Mg).