Question

The substance that will be flattened on beating with a hammer is:
(A) Crystal of iodine
(B) Lump of sulphur
(C) Piece of coal
(D) Zinc granule

Answer 1

Hint: As we know that, the substances are made from small tiny particles. When the particles are attracted with a small force of attraction or have more spaces between the particles then the substance is soft in nature. If particles are attracted with a large force of attraction or have negligible spaces between the particles, then the substance is hard in nature.

Complete solution
In periodic tables, the metals are hard in nature and non- metals are very soft in nature. Very hard substances are not malleable.
Metals such as alkali metal, alkaline earth metals and transition metals are hard in nature in fact hardness is the physical property of metals.
The metals have another physical property which is malleability. Malleability is the property by which a substance can be flattened on beating with a hammer. But non-metals are very soft which cannot be beaten.
Now let’s come to our options-
Option (A): Crystal of iodine, iodine is a very-very soft substance that it will break in powdered form if a very less amount of force is applied.
option (B): Lump of sulphur is a brittle solid.
Option (C): Piece of coal, it is also brittle in nature because it is a non-metal.
Option (D): Now we are left with this option, it contains Zinc granule. Zinc is a metal which has fully occupied d- orbital so, it is soft, when it is beaten, the electrons are shifted to free spaces.
Hence, we can say that the substance that will be flattened on beating with a hammer is Zinc granule.

Therefore, the correct option is (D).

Note:
Metals have more electrons in its outermost shell so due to more electron density in a fixed volume, so, when it is beaten, electrons are compressed and repel with each other and hence electrons are shifted to spaces where repulsion is minimum.