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Groups with Metalloids — Reading Comprehension

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This informational science passage for grades 6-8 aligns with NGSS MS-PS1-1 and explores Groups 13-16 of the periodic table, focusing on the unique transition from metals to nonmetals. Students will learn how metalloids, such as silicon, bridge the properties of metals and nonmetals, and how elements like aluminum, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen play essential roles in technology, environment, and life processes. The passage uses observable phenomena and mechanistic explanations to show systems and interactions between elements, with real-world examples including electronics, photosynthesis, and industrial materials. Activities include comprehension questions, writing prompts, a glossary, and graphic organizers. The content is audio integrated and features English and Spanish versions, as well as a differentiated, simplified reading level. This resource is ideal for students building foundational knowledge in physical science and chemical properties.

CONTENT PREVIEW

metalloids-1 — Metalloids are found along the zigzag line between metals and nonmetals

On the periodic table, Groups 13 through 16 reveal a remarkable shift in the properties of elements, moving from metals to nonmetals with the presence of metalloids. This transition is key to understanding why materials behave differently and how they are used in technology, nature, and industry. Scientists have identified this pattern by observing how elements in these groups react and combine with other substances. The study of these groups helps explain both the structure of matter and how it interacts in real-world systems.

How Groups 13-16 Show a Transition in Properties

Elements in Groups 13–16 are arranged in a way that demonstrates a gradual change from mostly metallic properties on the left to mostly nonmetallic properties on the right. For example, Group 13 contains aluminum, a lightweight metal widely used in cans and airplanes due to its strength and resistance to corrosion. However, as you move to Group 14, you encounter both carbon, a nonmetal essential for life, and silicon, a metalloid. Silicon is especially important in electronics because it can conduct electricity under certain conditions, a property known as semiconductivity. This ability allows silicon to be used in computer chips that power modern devices. The presence of metalloids like silicon and germanium marks the boundary where metallic and nonmetallic behaviors blend.

Interactions and Real-World Applications

Group 15 includes elements such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Nitrogen makes up about 78% of Earth’s atmosphere and is crucial for the formation of proteins in living things. Phosphorus is found in DNA and is essential for energy transfer in cells. Group 16 contains oxygen and sulfur. Oxygen supports life through respiration and is involved in oxidation reactions, such as rusting and combustion. Sulfur is used in fertilizers and is vital for certain amino acids. These groups illustrate how elements interact in both natural and human-made systems, influencing processes from breathing to electronics.

Scientific Thinking and Broader Implications

The gradual change in properties across Groups 13-16 is a result of how atoms are structured, particularly the number of valence electrons they have. This affects how elements bond and form compounds. For example, the ability of silicon to act as a semiconductor is due to its four valence electrons, which allows controlled electron flow. Understanding these patterns helps scientists design new materials and predict element behavior in reactions. This knowledge connects to larger scientific principles, such as the organization of matter and the conservation of mass in chemical reactions. The study of these groups has led to advances in technology, medicine, and environmental science.

Interesting Fact:

Some of the most advanced solar panels are made from purified silicon, a metalloid found in Group 14, because of its unique electrical properties.

Which groups on the periodic table contain metalloids and show a transition from metals to nonmetals?

Groups 13-16Groups 1-4Groups 7-10Groups 17-18

What role does silicon play in electronics?

It is used in computer chips as a semiconductorIt is used to make cansIt forms proteinsIt is found in DNA

Which element makes up about 78% of Earth's atmosphere?

OxygenNitrogenSulfurAluminum

What does the term 'semiconductivity' mean as used in the passage?

The ability to conduct electricity only under certain conditionsThe process of creating new elementsBeing shiny and bendableAbility to combine with oxygen

What is the main reason aluminum is used in airplanes?

It is heavy and strongIt is lightweight and resists corrosionIt is a nonmetalIt is found in DNA

Based on the passage, why are metalloids important in technology?

They have properties of both metals and nonmetals, useful for semiconductorsThey combine with oxygenThey are always shinyThey are found in the atmosphere

If you needed an element for making fertilizer, which from Groups 15 or 16 would you choose?

AluminumSulfurSiliconGermanium

How does the number of valence electrons affect an element's properties?

It determines how the element bonds and reactsIt makes elements heavierIt changes their colorIt affects their melting point only

True or False: Group 16 elements like oxygen are important for respiration and oxidation reactions.

TrueFalse

True or False: All elements in Groups 13-16 are metalloids.

TrueFalse