A student is working with four different solid substances: sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), and iodine (I). Which substance is most likely to break easily into many smaller pieces?

Question

sodium
calcium
copper
iodine

Answer 1

Sodium (Na) is most likely to break easily into many smaller pieces because it is a soft metal that is easily malleable and can be cut with a knife. Calcium (Ca) and copper (Cu) are both harder substances that are less likely to break easily into smaller pieces. Iodine (I) is a non-metallic solid substance that is brittle, but it is less likely to break into smaller pieces compared to sodium.