Consider the following materials:

Copper, Sulphur, Phosphorus, Carbon (such as: pencil lead), Gold, Silver: Which of these materials are: Malleable and ductile; and brittle.

Copper, gold and silver are Malleable and ductile because these are metals. The property of metals which allows metals to be hammered into thin sheets is called Malleability. Due this unique property, metals can be flattened into thin sheets by hammering and rolling. The property of metals which enables them to be drawn into wires is called Ductility. Due to this property metals can be stretched without breaking and drawn into thin wires. All of these metals can be used to make wires and sheets.

Sulphur, phosphorous and carbon are brittle. These are nonmetals and cannot be rolled into wires or drawn into sheets.


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