METAL AND NON METALS

COMPARISON

Metals are used to mean those natural elements which are solid, lustrous, opaque and
higher in density. Metals have a very high boiling and melting point. They effectively
conduct heat and electricity. In metals, the atoms are arranged in the crystal structure. They
act as reducing agents, as they lose valence electrons and form cations. Some examples of
metals are silver, aluminium, gold, lead, nickel, copper, titanium, magnesium, iron, cobalt,
zinc, etc. Non-metals, as the name suggest, is the natural element, which lacks metallic
properties. These are usually present in the solid or gaseous state, except Bromine, the only
non-metal that exist in liquid form. They are soft, non-lustrous (except iodine) and good
insulators of heat and electricity. For example nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, argon, xenon,
chlorine and so forth. The arrangement of atoms in non-metal is in non-crystalline or
amorphous structure. Non-metals have high ionisation energy and electronegativity because it
gains or shares valence electrons to form anions. They are usually soft, and so they are used
in making fertiliser, purification of water, crackers and so on.

CONTRAST

Here's a look at the differences between the metals and nonmetals.

Chemical Properties
Metal Nonmetals
 Usually have 1-3 electrons in their outer  Usually have 4-8 electrons in their outer
shell. shell.
 Lose their valence electrons easily.  Gain or share valence electrons easily.
 Form oxides that are basic.  Form oxides that are acidic.
 Are good reducing agents.  Are good oxidizing agents.
 Have lower electronegativities.  Have higher electronegativities.

Physical Properties
Metlas Nonmetals
 Good electrical conductors and heat
 Poor conductors of heat and electricity.
conductors.
 Brittle - if a solid.
 Malleable - can be beaten into thin
 Nonductile.
sheets.
 Do not possess metallic luster.
 Ductile - can be stretched into wire.
 Transparent as a thin sheet.
 Possess metallic luster.
 Solids, liquids or gases at room
 Opaque as thin sheet.
temperature.
 Solid at room temperature (except Hg).
 Both metals and nonmetals take different forms (allotropes), which have different
appearances and properties from each other. For example, graphite and diamond are two
allotropes of the nonmetal carbon, while ferrite and austenite are two allotropes of iron.
While nonmetals may have an allotrope that appears metallic, all of the allotropes of metals
look like what we think of as a metal (lustrous, shiny).

The similarities metals and nonmetals are nonmetals and metals have the same atomic
structure, metals and nonmetals that have an odd number of electrons will attract other metals
or nonmetals that need an electron, metals and nonmetals have measurable or observable
characteristics, like shape, color, density odor, taste, hardness, boiling point and melting
point, and whether the atom is a metal or a nonmetal, it contains a unique number of protons
in its nucleus.