Characteristics of Metals

What are Metals?

Metals are elements whose atoms have a small number of valence electrons usually
one two or three. Most metals are found in Groups I, II, and III of the periodic
table.

Characteristics of Metals
 Metals have high melting points and boiling points. All metals are found in the
solid state at room temperature with the exception of mercury which is a liquid.
 Metals are good conductors of electricity.
 Metals have a shiny Lustre because the mobile electrons reflect the photos of
lights back from the metal surface before they are allowed to penetrate far into
the surface.
 Metals are hard malleable and ductile. They are considered hard because they
are not easily damaged when force is applied to them. They are also malleable
however meaning that they can be bent and hammered into different shapes For
example; gold.
 Metals have high densities. This is because they are atoms are packed very
closely together.

Chemical Properties and Reactions of Metals

Because metals are elements whose atoms have a small number of valence
electrons they form positive cations in chemical reactions by losing the valence
electrons.

M → M (n+) ne¯

This results in metals forming ionic compounds when they react and the metal
behaving as a reducing agent because it gives electrons to the other reactant.
Some metals are somewhat stable while others react violently when exposed to
other substances example oxygen and acids. The way in which a particular metal
reacts gives an indication of its reactivity. The reactivity of a metal depends on the
metals placement in the periodic table.

Reaction of Metals with Oxygen

Some metals can be exposed to Oxygen without creating any great reaction with
oxygen in the air. These metals are those that we see and use regularly. The
surface of other metals oxidizes immediately when exposed to air. Some react so
vigorously that they are to be stored under paraffin like potassium and sodium
which acts as a barrier.

When metal reacts with oxygen they form ionic compounds known as metal
oxides. Metal + oxygen → metal oxide

Reactions of Metals with Water

Metals can be added to water to determine their reactivity. Generally metals that
are highly reactive with oxygen are highly reactive when exposed to water.

When a metal reacts with water, hydrogen and hydroxide are produced.
 Metal + water → metal hydroxide + hydrogen

When metals reacts with steam, metal oxide and hydrogen are produced.

Metal + steam → metal oxide + hydrogen.

Some metals do not react with water, however they react with steam, meaning that
they are less reactive than those which reacts with cold water.

Metals that react most vigorously with water; potassium, sodium, calcium.

Reactions of Metals with Dilute Acids

Reactive metals react with acids, except nitric acid, to form a salt and hydrogen.
Metals which are very reactive with water and oxygen are highly reactive with
acids.

Reactive metal + acid→ salt + hydrogen

The salt produced depends on the metal and acid used.

Reactions with Metal Oxides

Metal oxides reacts with acids to form salt and water.

Metal oxide + acid→ salt + water

This reaction is called a neutralization reaction. The metal oxide is a base that
neutralizes the acid to form salt and water. When a metal oxide reacts with an acid
the reaction becomes warmer because it is exothermic.

Reactions of Metal Hydroxides

Like metal oxides metal hydroxides also reacts with acids to form a salt and water.
Metal Hydroxide + acid → salt + water
This is also a neutralization reaction. The metal hydroxide is a base which
neutralizes the acid to form a salt and water. This is an exothermic reaction
therefore becoming warmer.

Reaction of Metal Carbonates

Metal carbonates react with acids to form a salt, carbon dioxide and water.

Metal carbonate + acid → salt + carbon dioxide + water

When a metal carbonate reacts with an acid effervesce (emitting with bubbles) is
seen as the carbon dioxide is evolved.

Decomposition of Metal Compounds

Nitrates of highly reactive metals decompose thermally to form metal nitrite and
oxygen gas when heated. Nitrates of moderately reactive metals produce brown
fumes of nitrogen dioxide gas when heated, as well as the metal oxide and oxygen
gas.

Table Showing Decomposition of Metal Compounds

 Reactivity, Extraction and Uses of Metals
Reactivity of Metals
Reactivity of group 1 metals
All the alkali metals react vigorously with cold water. In each reaction, hydrogen
gas is given off and the metal hydroxide is produced. The speed and violence of
the reaction increases as you go down the group. This shows that the reactivity of
the alkali metals increases as you go down Group 1.

Reactivity of group 2 metals

Reactivity of Group II elements increases down the group. This can be explained
by the increase in ease at losing two outer electrons as we descend the group. The
loss of electrons becomes easier due to the decreasing ionization energy required.
Ionization energy decreases due to extra shielding from inner shells and increase in
distance from the nucleus. Group II elements are less reactive than the
corresponding Group I element in the same period, since two rather than one
electron need to be lost in order to gain noble gas configuration.

Reactivity increases down the group. This is clearly seen if we observe the
reactions of magnesium and calcium in water.

Reactivity of transition metals

Compared with the alkali metals in group 1 and the alkaline Earth metals in group
2, the transition metals are much less reactive. Transition metals reactivity decrease
as they go down the periodic table

EXTRACTION
Gold and other unreactive metals occur native. Metals that are found in the ground
as uncombined elements do not require further extraction. Most metals are found
combined with other elements, as compounds in ores. These metals need to be
separated from the other elements that they are combined with using chemical
reactions.

There are two main ways of extracting metals from their ores:

Burning ores with carbon (reduction)

Metals are often found combined with oxygen as oxides. To obtain the
metal, the oxygen must be removed. The removal of oxygen from a
substance is called reduction.

Electrolysis
Electrolysis is a process that uses electricity to separate the elements in a
compound. The word electrolysis means ‘splitting with electricity.’

Uses of Metals
A metal's use is directly linked to its qualities. For example:

 Shiny metals such as copper, silver, and gold are often used for decorative
arts, jewellery, and coins.
 Strong metals such as iron and metal alloys such as stainless steel are used to
build structures, ships, and vehicles including cars, trains, and trucks.
 Some metals have specific qualities that dictate their use. For example,
copper is a good choice for wiring because it is particularly good at
conducting electricity. Tungsten is used for the filaments of light bulbs
because it glows white-hot without melting.
 Metals in the Living System and the
Environment
Some metals such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and copper
play a vital role in the living systems.

Sodium and potassium are the most common cations in biological fluids. These
ions are involved in the electrical activity in nerves and in muscle contraction.

Calcium ions occur in animal bones in combination with phosphate. Calcium ions
also play an important role in muscle contraction.

Copper and zinc are the constituents of enzymes.

Iron is a constituent of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen in man and other animals.
Magnesium is present in chlorophyll, the main pigment responsible for the absorption of
sunlight in plants.

Some metals such as Mercury and Lead on the other hand, can be toxic to living things as
they may cause brain damage and even death. These metals can accumulate in the
environment and concentrate in consumers in the food chain, where they become more
toxic.
 Non-metals
What are Non-Metals?
Non-metals are elements whose atoms usually have a large number of valence
electrons, usually 5, 6, 7 or 8.Most non-metals are found in groups 5, 6, 7 and 8.

Examples of Non-Metals:
 Hydrogen carbon
 nitrogen oxygen
 phosphorus
 sulfur
 selenium

Physical Properties of Non-Metals:

 They have law melting points and boiling points.
 They fare poor conductors of heat and electricity are in appearance when in
the solid state.
 They I are weak and brittle when in the solid state.
 They have low densities.

Non-metals are poor conductors of heat. Some non-metals are very reactive,
whereas others are not reactive at all. It depends on the number of elections in their
outer energy level. Reactive non-metals tend gain elections...

Harmful non-metallic compounds have been increased in the environment due to

human activities. These result in pollution of natural resources such as air and
water.
Air pollution is caused by the release of waste gases and particulates into the
atmosphere. These include carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, carbon Particles,
Sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and hydrogen supplied.

Acid rain is caused by a chemical reaction that begins when compounds like sulfur
dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released into the air.

Fluorine is more reactive than neon. That’s because it has 7 of 8 possible electrons
in its outer energy level, whereas neon has & electron in this energy level.

Uses of Non-Metals:
 Oxygen is used for breathing.
 Chlorine is used for purifying water.
 Phosphorous is used in crackers.
 Non – metals like nitrogen is used in fertilizers.
 Graphite is used as a good conductor of electricity.
 Potassium is used in fertilizers.
 Nitrogen is used by plants.
 Graphite is used in making leads.
 Carbon is used as a fuel.
 Bromine is used in dyes and pesticides

Harmful Effects of Non-Metals:

Among the most harmful and dangerous non-metal compounds are nitrogen
oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen sulfide.
These can cause devastating effects to human beings, plants, animals and the
environment. Metals are generally less harmful, although lead is extremely toxic.
Hydrogen sulfide is a highly toxic gas. It has a very bad smell, often identified in
rotten eggs and stink bombs. Hydrogen sulfide interferes with cellular respiration.
If inhaled, Hydrogen Sulfide combines with Mongolia in the bodies of human
beings and other mammals. Mongolia is the substance in blood which carries
oxygen to tissues.
 Water
The Unique Properties of Water
Water is polar.
Water molecules are polar, with partial positive charges on the hydrogens, and a partial
negative charge on the oxygen. Polar molecules are molecules with a partial positive
charge on one end and a partial negative charge on the other.

Diagram showing a water molecule

Water has high heat capacity.

It takes a lot of energy to raise the temperature of a certain amount of water by a degree,
so water helps with regulating temperature in the environment. This is significant to
living organisms because of two reasons:

 Since the bodies of living organism contain 60% to 70% water they can absorb a
lot of heat energy without their body temperature changing very much. This means
they can survive in extreme temperatures.
 As the temperature in the atmosphere changes, the temperature of large bodies of
water (lakes, ponds, seas, etc.) to stay relatively constant from day to night.
 Therefore aquatic organisms do not experience extreme fluctuations in the
temperature of their environment.
Water has high heat of vaporization.
A lot of heat energy is required to change liquid water to water vapor. Humans (and other
animals that sweat) use water’s high heat of vaporization to cool off. Water is converted
from its liquid form to steam when the heat of vaporization is reached. Since sweat is
made mostly of water, the evaporating water absorbs excess body heat, which is released
into the atmosphere. This is known as evaporative cooling.

Water has cohesive and adhesive properties.

Water molecules have strong cohesive forces due to their ability to form hydrogen bonds
with one another. Cohesive forces are responsible for surface tension, the tendency of a
liquid’s surface to resist rupture when placed under tension or stress. Water also has
adhesive properties that allow it to stick to substances other than itself. These cohesive
and adhesive properties are essential for fluid transport in many forms of life. For
example, they allow nutrients to be transported to the top of a tree against the force of
gravity.

Water is less dense as a solid than as a liquid.

When water is cooled to 4 °C it contracts and becomes denser. If it is cooled below 4°C,
it starts to expand and become less dense. It continues to expand until it freezes at a 0c.
As a result, ice at a °C floats on water as it forms. When a pond, lake or river freezes in
winter, ice forms on the surface and the warmer, denser water remains below. Aquatic
organisms are able to survive in the water beneath the ice.

As water freezes, the molecules form a crystalline structure that spaces the molecules
further apart than in liquid water. This means that ice is less dense than liquid water,
which is why it floats.
Water is an excellent solvent.
Water has the unique ability to dissolve many polar and ionic substances. This is
important to all living things because, as water travels through the water cycle, it takes
many valuable nutrients along with it!

The fact that water can dissolve so many substances is of great significance to living
organism.

1. Water dissolves chemicals in cells so that chemical reactions such as

respiration can take place.
2. Water dissolves many useful substances so that they can be absorbed and
transported around the bodies of organisms. E.g. Foods and minerals.
3. Water dissolves waste products such as urea so that they can be excreted.

Consequences of the Solvent Properties of Water.

Water Hardness
Dissolved calcium and magnesium salts cause water to become hard. Hard water does not
lather easily with soap, whereas soft water lathers easily with soap. When soap is put
hard water it forms a scum of insoluble calcium and magnesium salts. This can be shown
by the following equation using the soap sodium octadecanoate (C17H35COONa):

2 C17H35COONa (aq) + Ca2+ (aq) (C17H35COO) 2Ca(s) + 2Na+ (aq)

Hard water is inconvenient because:

 It wastes soap. Soap only lather when all the Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions have been
precipitated out of scum.
 It causes unpleasant scum to form. Scum discolors clothes and forms a grey,
greasy layer around sinks, baths and showers.
 It causes lime scale to be deposited in kettles, boilers and hot water pipes. This
waters electricity and can block pipes.
There are two types of Water Hardness:
 1. Temporary Hardness
2. Permanent Hardness
Temporary Water Hardness
This is caused by dissolved Calcium Hydrogen carbonate and Magnesium Hydro
carbonates. Temporary hardness can be removed by boiling, because the
hydrgencarbonates decompose the Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions precipitate out of the solution.

Ca (HCO3)2(aq) CaCO3+CO2 (g) +H2O (l)

Precipitation of calcium carbonate from the temporary hard water builds up as ‘fur’
inside kettles and hot water pipes.

Permanent Water Hardness

Permanent hardness cannot be removed by boiling. It is caused by dissolved calcium
sulfate (CaSO4) and magnesium sulfate (MgSO4). Calcium sulfate and magnesium sulfate
are only slightly soluble and they dissolve in rainwater passing through rocks containing
them.

Water Pollution
When water dissolves harmful substances in the environment it becomes polluted. Main
water pollutants:

 Heavy metal ions, mainly from industry.

 Sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen which are produced during combustion
dissolve in water to form acid rain.
 Nitrate and phosphate ions present in fertilizers and detergents.
 Pesticides used in agriculture and to control vectors of disease.
 Organic compounds from farmyard waste and untreated sewage.

Leaching
Dissolved substances can get into lakes and rivers by moving through the soil. Soil
particles are usually surrounded by a thin layer of water. In most soils, water is constantly
moving through the soil and useful nutrients as well as pollutants get washed out of the
soil. This is called leaching. Leaching plays an important role in removing soil minerals
and in transferring pollutants from the soil into lakes and rivers. It can also play a part in
making water hard.