Muskan Shafi Education Content Expert
Education Content Expert
Metals and Non-Metals can be classified on the basis of elements’ chemical and physical characteristics. Metals are described as elements that have qualities like malleability, ductility, sonority, and being good conductors of heat and electricity. Non-metals, on the other hand, are those substances that are not ductile, sonorous, malleable, and have low heat and electrical conductivity. In the earth's crust, which is divided into metals and non-metals, can find these elements either in their free state or in their mixed condition.
Key Terms: Metals, Non-Metals, Malleability, Ductility, Ionization, Electrons, Elements, Melting Point, Acid
Metals and Non-Metals
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- In Chemistry, an element is considered to be metal if it readily forms the positive ions known as cations and has a propensity to create metallic bonds.
- The chemical and physical characteristics of the metals, such as malleability, ductility, ionisation, bonding qualities, etc., serve to identify them from one another.
- A chemical element that often adds electrons when reacting with metal is known as a non-metal in chemistry.
- In the presence of oxygen and hydrogen, it has a propensity to react to generate an acid. Compared to metals, non-metals exhibit a wider range of colours and states.
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Physical Properties of Metals and Non-Metals
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The physical properties of metals and non-metals are classified below:
Physical Properties of Metals
The physical properties of metals can be summed up as follows:
- Because they contain free-moving electrons, metals are good electrical conductors, allowing electricity to flow through them. Because metal is a good conductor of electricity, copper is utilised for wiring.
- Due to their solid metallic connections, metals have high melting and boiling points.
- Physically, all metals are shiny. They shine because of a sheen they possess. Jewellery is produced with gold.
- Metals are tough, difficult to shatter and demand a lot of strength and energy. Cars, structures, ships, and other items are made of iron.
- Metals are heavy because of their great density. For their size, metals are hefty.
- They are tensile strength and lack flexibility. Metals are not flexible.
- Metals are excellent heat conductors. Pots, pans, and vessels are fashioned of metals for this reason.
- They are effective sound conductors. They sound like sonar.
- Because they are ductile, metals can produce thin wires.
- They may be crushed into thin sheets because they are bendable.
- Typically, metals are solid at normal temperatures. Mercury, which is typically in liquid form, is the exception.
Metals
Physical Properties of Non-Metals
The physical properties of non-metals can be summed up as:
- High electronegativities characterise them.
- Nonmetals are poor electrical conductors because they are insulators.
- They lack the shine of metals and are drab.
- Nonmetals have weak heat conductivity. They don't conduct heat well.
- They are extremely fragile and frail. They frequently fracture or break easily.
- Nonmetals are not very dense. For their size, they are light.
- They don't create noise when struck and are poor sound conductors.
- Nonmetals can be gaseous, liquid, or solid.
Non-Metals
Chemical Properties of Metals and Non-Metals
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The chemical properties of metals and non-metals are classified below:
Chemical Properties of Metals
The chemical properties of metals can be summed up as:
- Metals combine with other metals or non-metals in order to form alloys.
- Some metals rust when exposed to air. Consider iron.
- Metals are efficient heat and electrical conductors. The one exception is lead.
- At normal temperatures, metals often exist in a solid state. excluding Mercury. Mercury is liquid at this time.
- Many metals burn in the oxygen in the air to form metal oxide. Metals that are highly reactive react violently when burned in oxygen.
- Oil is used to hold metals like salt and potassium, which quickly react with air. They are metals with strong reactivity.
- Metals like gold, silver, platinum and other less reactive metals don't tarnish as quickly. They continue to shine and glisten.
- When metals and water interact, metal oxide and hydrogen gas are produced.
- Water and soluble metal oxides combine to form metal hydroxide.
- Some metals do not react with water. However, when highly reactive metals like sodium and potassium combine with water, a strong reaction occurs and an exothermic reaction occurs, igniting the hydrogen.
- In the event that metal and acid combine, salt and hydrogen are created.
- In a metal salt solution, a metal often replaces a less reactive metal.
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Chemical Properties of Non-Metals
The chemical properties of non-metals can be summed up as:
- Metals and nonmetals respond differently from one another. Nonmetals typically react with one another at high temperatures.
- Most non-metals do not react with air at room temperature.
- The only nonmetal that burns when it combines with air to generate its oxide is white phosphorus.
- Nonmetals typically don't react with water. Chlorine is the only element that does not dissolve in water to create an acidic solution.
- Nonmetals are not very dense.
- None of them produces alloys. However, nonmetals like silicon, phosphorus, and carbon.
- At room temperature, nonmetals can be found in all known states of matter.
- Different nonmetals respond in various ways.
- Alkali and alkaline earth metals react with nonmetals with a high electronegativity to generate ionic solids.
Things to Remember
- Metals are usually shiny while non-metals are dull in appearance.
- Metals usually have high melting points in comparison to mon-metals that have low melting points.
- Metals are good conductors of electricity and heat whereas non–metals are poor conductors of electricity and heat apart from a few exceptions.
- Metals have high density and they are malleable and ductile. Non-metals possess low density and are brittle.
Previous Year’s Questions
- Metals are good conductors of heat because…
- In the electrolytic method of obtaining aluminium from… (KCET 2004)
- In chromite ore, the oxidation number of iron and chromium… (KCET 2011)
- The common impurity present in bauxite is… (KCET 2018)
- The composition of copper matte is… (KCET 2016)
- Sphalerite is concentrated by…
- Metallic lustre is due to…
- Mineral of aluminium that does not contain oxygen is…
- The chemical composition of cryolite mineral is…
- The most abundant element in the earth's crust(by weight) is…
Sample Questions
Ques. List down the physical properties of metals. [3 Marks]
Ans. The physical properties of metals are listed below:
- The metals have a shiny surface, but they can also be polished to produce a surface that is extremely reflecting.
- In nature, metals are robust and hard.
- High melting and boiling points are characteristic of metallic elements.
- At very high temperatures, they can also evaporate. Furthermore, they are very dense.
- The metals can be pounded into sheets or drawn into wires because they are malleable and ductile.
- They function well as heat and electricity conductors.
Ques. Mention the chemical properties of non-metals. [3 Marks]
Ans. The chemical properties of non-metals are as follows:
- The outermost electron shell of non-metallic elements typically has 5, 6, or 7 electrons.
- By acquiring additional electrons to complete their octet, they produce anions (negative ions).
- In their gaseous state, their molecules are typically polyatomic. Typically, they produce acidic oxides.
- Non-metals are referred to as oxidising agents since they ionise through the acquisition of electrons.
Ques. Differentiate between the properties of metals and non-metals. [5 Marks]
Ans. The difference between the properties of metals and non-metals is as follows:
- Thin sheets of metal can be pounded out, i.e, they are malleable. Metals can bend easily. They are able to be drawn into wires. Metals are efficient heat and electrical conductors. Metals shine brightly. The tensile strength of metals is high. Metals have a resonant sound. Metals are brittle.
- It is impossible to hammer non-metals into thin sheets. Non-metals lack ductility. Metals are a better conductor of heat and electricity better than non-metals. Non-metals lack lustre and have a lifeless aspect. The tensile strength of non-metals is minimal. Non-metals lack sonority. Non-metals are delicate.
- Metallic oxides, which are by nature basic, are created when metals and oxygen react. Red litmus paper turns blue when the metal oxide is dissolved in water. Hydrogen gas and metal hydroxide are produced when a metal combines with water. Salt and hydrogen gas are produced when metals and acids combine. Acids can cause some metals to react violently.
- Blue litmus paper becomes crimson when nonmetal oxide is dissolved in water. Water normally does not react with nonmetals. While nonmetals can react with strong acids, they do not react with diluted acids.
Ques. Write and describe the equations for the reaction of Calcium and Potassium with water. [3 Marks]
Ans. Calcium and Potassium are metals. When metals and water interact, metal oxide and hydrogen gas are produced.
When calcium reacts with water, it forms Calcium Hydroxide and Hydrogen Gas is released with the heat emitted.
Ca (s) + 2H2O (l) → Ca(OH)2 + H2 (g) + Heat
When Potassium reacts with water, it forms Potassium Hydroxide and Hydrogen Gas is released with the heat emitted.
K (s) + 2H2O (l)→ KOH + H2 (g) + Heat
Ques. Why is sodium kept immersed in kerosene oil? [3 Marks]
Ans. Sodium is a metal and is very highly reactive in nature. It reacts very rapidly with Oxygen. Because sodium is a reactive metal, it will ignite if left exposed to oxygen. In order to avoid reactions with oxygen, moisture, and atmospheric carbon dioxide, sodium metal is kept submerged in kerosene.
Ques. Ionic compounds have higher melting points for what reason? [3 Marks]
Ans. Ionic substances have both positive and negative charges, which is the solution. As a result, they will be attracted to one another strongly. Ionic compounds have high melting points because it takes a lot of heat to overcome this force of attraction.
Ques. Describe the process of magnesium oxide formation. [3 Marks]
Ans. Magnesium is a metal. When metals and water interact, metal oxide and hydrogen gas are produced. The magnesium atom gives up its two outermost electrons to an oxygen atom during the reaction with oxygen. Magnesium atoms make a magnesium ion by shedding two electrons, and oxygen atoms create an oxide ion by receiving two electrons.
Ques. Describe how sodium oxide is produced. [3 Marks]
Ans. An oxygen atom receives the two outermost electrons from two sodium atoms. The two sodium atoms combine to generate sodium ions by giving up two electrons. The oxygen atom also creates an oxide ion by acquiring two electrons. The sodium ions and oxide ions are found in the sodium oxide molecules. Magnesium ions and oxide ions are the ions in the magnesium oxide molecule.
Ques. Ionic compounds have higher melting points for what reason? [3 Marks]
Ans. The only substances with both positive and negative charges are ionic compounds. As a result, they will be attracted to one another strongly. Ionic compounds have high melting points because it takes a lot of heat to overcome this force of attraction. That is why Ionic compounds have higher melting points. E.g. Steel can be made more corrosion-resistant by adding chromium, generating stainless steel, and more electrically conductive by adding silicon, making silicon steel.
Ques. What are Alloys? Describe with Examples. [3 Marks]
Ans. A chemical element mixture called an alloy must contain at least one metal. The properties of a metal, such as electrical conductivity, ductility, opacity, and lustre, will all be retained in the alloy's final product, unlike chemical compounds with metallic bases, but an alloy may also have additional properties that aren't present in pure metals, such as increased strength or hardness.
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