CHAPTER – 3

METALS AND NON METALS

1a) Physical properties of metals :-
• Metals are solids. (except mercury)
• Metals are hard. (except Lithium, Potassium, Sodium)
• Metals have metallic lustre. (shine)
• Metals are malleable. (can be beaten into thin sheets)
• Metals are ductile. (can be drawn into wires)
• Metals have high melting points. (Gallium and Ceasium
have low melting points. They melt in the palm of the
hand)
• Metals have high boiling points.
• Metals are good conductors of heat. ( Best conductors
are silver and copper. Poor conductors are Lead and
Mercury)
• Metals are good conductors of electricity. ( Best
conductors are Silver and Copper)
• Metals are sonorus. (produce sound when
b) Physical properties of non metals :-
• Non metals may be solids, liquids or gases. (Solids –
Carbon, Sulphur, Phosphorus etc. Liquid – Bromine,
Gases – Oxygen, Hydrogen, Nitrogen etc.)
• Non metals are soft. (except diamond which is the hardest
natural substance)
• Non metals do not have lustre.( except iodine cryatals)
• Non metals are not malleable.
• Non metals are not ductile.
• Non metals which are solids and liquids have low melting
points.
• Non metals which are solids and liquids have low boiling
points.
• Non metals are bad conductors of heat.
• Non metals are bad conductors of electricity. (except
graphite)
• Non metals are not sonorus.
Comparison
2) Chemical properties of metals :-
i) Reaction with oxygen :-
Metals react with oxygen to form metal oxides.
When copper is heated it combines with oxygen to form copper oxide.
2Cu + O2 2CuO
When aluminium is heated it combines with oxygen to form aluminium
oxide. 4Al + 3O2 2Al2O3
Some metal oxides are basic oxides because they react with water to
form bases.
4Na + O2 2Na2O
Na2O + H2O 2NaOH
K + O2 K 2O
K 2O + 2KOH
Some
H2O metal oxides show acidic and basic properties. They are called
amphoteric oxides. Eg :- Aluminium oxide, Zinc oxide etc.
Al2O3 + 6HCl 2AlCl3 + 3H2O
(basic)
Al2O3 + NaOH NaAlO2
(acidic) +
H 2O
 The reactivity of different metals with oxygen is different :-
• Metals like potassium and sodium react vigorously with
oxygen and catch fire if kept in open. Hence they are
stored in kerosene to prevent burning.
• If magnesium is heated, it burns with a bright flame.
• If iron is heated it glows brightly.
• If copper is heated it does not burn but forms a black
coating of copper oxide.
• Silver and gold does not react with oxygen even at high
temperature.
• Some metals like magnesium, aluminium, zinc, lead etc.
forms an oxide layer over it which prevents further
oxidation. They are called self protecting metals.
ii) Reaction with water :-
Metals react with water to form metal oxides or metal hydroxides and
hydrogen.
2Na + 2H2O 2NaOH + H2
2K + 2KOH + H2
H2O Ca Ca(OH)2 +
2Al ++ 3H2O HAl
2 2
O3 +
H 2O + 4H2O
3Fe
H2
The reactivity of different Fe2Ometals
3 + with water is different :-
- Sodium and potassium react violently 4H2 with cold water to form sodium
hydroxide and hydrogen and catches fire.
- Calcium reacts less violently with water to form calcium hydroxide
and water and does not catch fire.
- Magnesium reacts only with hot water to form magnesium hydroxide
and hydrogen.
- Metals like aluminium, iron and zinc react only with steam to form
the metal oxides and hydrogen.
- Metals like lead, copper, silver and gold do not react with water.
iii) Reaction with acids :-
Metals react with dilute acids to form salts and
hydrogen.
Mg + 2HCl MgCl2 + H2
2Al + 6 HCl 2AlCl 3 +
3H2 Zn + 2HCl
ZnCl2 + H2
Fe + 2HCl FeCl2 +
metals
H2 the decreasing order of reactivity is Mg > Al > Zn > Fe.
Copper, silver and
The reactivity gold from
varies do not reacttowith dilute HCl.
metal
Hydrogen
metal. For gas is not evolved when metals react with
the above
nitric acid (HNO3) because it is a strong oxidising agent and
it oxidises the H2 produced to water and is itself reduced to
oxides of nitrogen.
3Cu + 8HNO3 3Cu(NO3)2 + 4H2O + 2NO2
iv) Reaction of metals with metal salt solutions :-
A more reactive metal displaces a less reactive metal from its salt
solution. (Displacement reaction)
Magnesium displaces copper from copper sulphate
solution. Mg + CuSO4 MgSO4 +
Cu
Zinc displaces copper from copper sulphate
solution. Zn + CuSO4 ZnSO4
+ Cu
Iron displaces copper from copper sulphate
solution Fe + CuSO4 after
FeSO
15 – 20 minutes
4

+ Cu
3) Reactivity series of metals :-
The arranging of metals in the decreasing order of their
reactivity is called reactivity series of metals.
K - Potassium Most reactive
Na - Sodium
Ca - Calcium
Mg - Magnesium
Al - Aluminium
Zn - Zinc Reactivity decreases
Fe - Iron
Pb - Lead
H - Hydrogen
Cu - Copper
Hg -
Mercury Ag -
Silver Au - Least reactive
4) How do metals an non metals react ?
Metals :- lose electrons and become positive ions. So they are
called electropositive elements.
Eg :- The atomic number of sodium is 11, its electronic
configuration is 2,8,1, it has 1 valence electron. It loses 1 electron and
forms a sodium
ion Na + +
Na Na +
1 e- AN = 11
EC = 2,8,1 2,8
Mg 2+ + 2
Mg
e-
AN = 12 2,8
Non metals E:- gain electrons and become negative ions. So they
are calledCelectro
=
negative elements.
2,8,2
Eg:- The atomic number of chlorine is 17, its electronic
configuration is
2,8,7, it has 7 valence. It gains 1- electron and forms a chloride ion
Cl + Cl
-
Cl
1 e-
2,8,8
AN = 17
EC = O 2-
5a) Formation of sodium chloride molecule – NaCl

xx
+ -
Na . x x
Cl x Na
xx
.x xClx xx NaCl
xx
+
AN = 17
AN = 11 EC = 2,8,7
EC The
= 2,8,1
atomic number of Na is 11, its electronic
configuration is 2,8,1, it has 1 valence electron, it loses 1
electron to form Na + ion. The atomic number of Cl is 17, its
electronic configuration is 2,8,7, it has 7 valence electrons,
it gains 1 electron to form Cl - ion. Then the attraction
between the Na + ion and Cl - ion results in the formation of
sodium chloride molecule – NaCl.
b) Formation of Magnesium chloride molecule – MgCl2
Mg Mg 2+ + 2e -
AN = 12
EC = 2,8,2 2,8
Cl + 1e - Cl -

AN = 17
EC = 2,8,7 2,8,8
-
. Cl
xx xx
x
Clxx x x
. 2+ x

Mg.
x xx
+ x Mg - MgCl 2
. Cl
xx xx
x Cl x x x
x x
xx xx

The AN of Mg is 12, its EC is 2,8,2, it has 2 valence electrons, it loses

2 electrons to form Mg 2+ . The AN of Cl is 17, its EC is 2,8,7, it has 7
valence electrons, it gains 1 electron to form Cl -. Then the attraction
between Mg 2+ ion and 2 Cl - ions results in the formation of
6) Ionic compounds (Electrovalent compounds) :-
Ionic compounds are compounds formed by the transfer of
electrons from a metal to a non metal.
Properties of ionic compounds :-
i) They are formed by the transfer of electrons and are made up of
ions.
i) They are crystalline solids.
ii) They have high melting points and boiling points.
iii) They are soluble in water but insoluble in organic solvents (like
petrol, kerosene etc.)
iv) They conduct electricity in molten state or in solution.
7a) Corrosion :-
Corrosion is the damage caused to metals due to the reaction of metals
with oxygen, moisture, carbon dioxide etc.
Eg :- Formation of brown coating of rust over iron.
Formation of green coating of basic copper carbonate over
copper. Formation of black coating of silver sulphide over silver.
To show that air and moisture are necessary for the rusting of
iron :-
Take three test tubes marked 1,2,3 and put iron nails in each of them. Put some
anhydrous calcium chloride in test tube 1 to absorb moisture. Pour some boiled distilled
water in test tube 2 and pour some oil over it to prevent air into the test tube. Pour some
water in test tube 3. Cork the test tubes and leave them for a few days. The nails in test
tube 1 does not get rusted because it had only air and no water. The nails in test tube 2
does not rust because it had only water and no air. The nails in test tube 3 gets rusted
because it had air and water.
b) Prevention of corrosion :-
Corrosion of metals can be prevented by :-
i) Applying oil or grease.
ii) Applying paint.
iii) By galvanisation. (Coating with zinc)
iv) By tinning. (Coating with tin)
v) By electroplating. (Coating a less reactive metal like chromium)
vi) By alloying. (Making alloys)
c) Alloy :-
An alloy is a homogeneous mixture of a metal with other metals or
non metal.
Eg :- Steel – iron, carbon
Stainless steel – iron, carbon, cobalt,
nickel Brass – copper, zinc
Bronze – copper, tin
Solder – Lead, tin (used for welding electrical wires together)
If one of the metals in an alloy is mercury, it is called an amalgam.