Physical properties

Metals are solids. (except mercury)

Metals are hard.
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 and have low
melting points.
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 sonorous.

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
K2O + H2O
2KOH
Some 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 + H2O
(acidic)
(Sodium aluminate)

ii) Reaction with water :Metals react with water to form metal oxides or metal hydroxides and
hydrogen.
2Na + 2H2O
2NaOH + H2
2K + H2O
2KOH + H2
Ca + H2O
Ca(OH)2 + H2
2Al + 3H2O
Al2O3 + H2
3Fe + 4H2O
Fe2O3 + 4H2

The reactivity of different metals with water is different :- Sodium and potassium react violently 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
MgCl 2 + H2
2Al + 6 HCl

2AlCl 3 + 3H2

Zn + 2HCl

ZnCl 2 + H2

Fe + 2HCl

FeCl 2 + H2

The reactivity varies from metal to metal. For the above

metals the decreasing order of reactivity is Mg > Al > Zn > Fe.
Copper, silver and gold do not react with dilute HCl.
Hydrogen gas is not evolved when metals react with
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
FeSO4 + Cu
after 15 20 minutes

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 - Gold
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
AN = 11
EC = 2,8,1
Mg
AN = 12
EC = 2,8,2

Na + + 1 e2,8
Mg

2+

+ 2 e-

2,8

CorrosionCorrosion 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.