1 Chapter 3 : Metals and non metals

1. Why Platinum gold and silver are used for making jewellery ?

Platinum, gold and silver are used to make jewellery because of the follwing reasons:(i) They have
bright shiny surface (ii) high resistance to corrosion (iii) high malleability and ductility. (iv) low
reactive of such metals metals.Thus rarely corrosion occur and hence do not lost their shine and
lustre.

2. Why Aluminum is a highly reactive metal still it is used for making utensils for cooking ?

Aluminum is a highly reactive metal still it is used for making utensils for cooking because
aluminium is good conductor of heat and electricity. To prevent its reaction with food at high
temperature aluminium metal forms a thin layer of aluminium oxide (Al2O3 )all over its surface under
the action of moist air. This layer prevents the metal underneath from further corrosion. It is cheap,
easily available, malleable and ductile.

3. Why carbonate and sulphide ores are usually converted into oxides during the process of
extraction ?

Carbonate and sulphide ores are usually converted into oxides during the process of extraction
because it is easier and economical to obtain metal from its oxide as compared with its sulphides or
carbonates ore.

4. Differentiate between metal and non- metal on the basis of their chemical properties ?

Metal Non metal

1. Metals form basic oxides. 1. Non-metals form acidic oxides or neutral

oxides
2. Metals displace hydrogen from water (or 2. Non-metals do not react with water (or steam)
steam ) and hence do not displace hydrogen from water
(or steam).
3. Metals displace hydrogen from dilute acids 3. Non-metals do not react with dilute acids and
hence do not displace hydrogen from dilute
acids.
4. Metals form ionic chlorides with chlorine. 4. Non-metals form covalent chlorides with
These ionic chlorides are electrolytes but non- chlorine which are non-electrolytes but volatile.
volatile
5. Metals usually do not combine with hydrogen. 5. Non-metals react with hydrogen to form
Only few reactive metals combine with hydrogen stable, covalent hydrides.
to form ionic metal hydrides.

5. Give the reason why copper is used to make hot water tanks but steel ( an alloy of iron) is
not ?

Copper doesn't react with cold water, hot water and steam so it is safe to store water in copper vessel.
Whereas steel contains iron which reacts with steam to form iron oxide that corrodes the water tank

PREPARED BY: JOYDEEP DAS (M.TECH, PhD PURSUING) PH: 7005008567/ 9863027277
2 Chapter 3 : Metals and non metals

and increase the iron content in water beyond permissible limit.That's why hot water tanks are made
up of copper not steel.

3Fe + 4H2O =Fe3O4 + 4H2O

6. You must have seen tarnished copper vessels being cleaned with lemon or tamarind juice.
Explain why these sour substances are effective in cleaning the vessels

Copper when exposed to atmosphere, reacts with moist carbon dioxide in air and gains a green coat.
This green substance is basic copper carbonate. As we know that lemon or tamarind juice contains
citric acid and tartaric acid respectively.The above mentioned acids neutralise copper carbonate.That
is why copper vessels are cleaned with lemon or tamarind juice to give the surface of the copper
vessel its charateristic lustre.

7. Difference between Roasting and Calcination

Roasting Calcination
1. Ore is heated in absence of air. 1. Ore is heated in regular air supply
2. It is used for carbonates and oxide below the melting temperature for
ores. metal.
Fe2O3⋅xH2O = Fe2O3+xH2O 2. It is used for sulphide ores.
ZnCO3 = ZnO+CO2 2ZnS+3O2→2ZnO+2SO2
3. Volatile impurites are removed as
3. Moisture and organic impurities are oxides such as SO2,P2O5,As2O4
removed.

PREPARED BY: JOYDEEP DAS (M.TECH, PhD PURSUING) PH: 7005008567/ 9863027277