Nonmetallic Elements

and Their Compounds

KSCH 437
Chapter 1

Dr / Ola Elshafey
Nonmetallic Elements
 Properties of nonmetals
The nonmetals are concentrated in the upper right-hand corner of the
periodic table and have properties more varied than those of metals

1.A number of nonmetals are gases in the elemental state: hydrogen,

oxygen, nitrogen, fluorine, chlorine, and the noble gases. Only one,
bromine, is a liquid. All the remaining nonmetals are solids at room
temperature.
2.Unlike metals, nonmetallic elements are poor conductors of heat
and electricity.
3. They exhibit both positive and negative oxidation numbers.
4.Nonmetals are more electronegative than metals. The
electronegativity of elements increases from left to right across any
period and from bottom to top in any group in the periodic table with
the exception of hydrogen.
Hydrogen
 Position of hydrogen in periodic table
Hydrogen is the simplest element known, its most common atomic
form contains only one proton and one electron.
Position in periodic table
There is no truly suitable position for hydrogen among the families of
elements in the periodic system because it shows similarity with more
than one groups of elements
1.Analogy with alkali metals (group 1A)
2.Analogy with halogen (group 7A)
3.Analogy with carbon (group 4A)
 1. Analogy with alkali metals (group 1A)
1. Hydrogen has electronic configuration like alkali metals, it contains
one electron in outer most shell
2. Both hydrogen and alkali metals form univalent positive ions

2. Analogy with carbon (group 4A)

1. Hydrogen and carbon have similar values of electronegativity.
Hydrogen differs from alkali metals and halogen in electronegativity
H = 2.1, C = 2.4, Na = 0.9, F=4
 3. Analogy with halogen (group 7A)
1. Electronic configuration of hydrogen and halogen atoms show one
electron less than the maximum number of electrons which can be
filled in the outer most shell
2. The ionization potential of hydrogen is 13.54 ev, it is of the same
order of the halogen atoms (F = 18.6 ev, Cl = 13, and Br = 16.64ev)
3. Hydrogen molecule is a diatomic gas like halogens.
4. Hydrogen reacts in similar manner with carbon to give CH4 like

CCl4
 3. Analogy with halogen (group 7A)
5. Hydrogen shows electronegative character and combine with strong
electropositive metals and alkaline earth metallic forming hydrides
as LiH, LiCl, NaCl, NaH. On electrolysis hydrogen go toward
anode.
6. In organic compounds, Cl can replace H
2C2H6 + Cl2 2 C2H5Cl + H2
Occurrence
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, accounting for
about 70 percent of the universe’s total mass. It is the tenth most
abundant element in Earth’s crust, where it is found in combination
with other elements. Unlike Jupiter and Saturn, Earth does not have a
strong enough gravitational pull to retain the lightweight H2 molecules,
so hydrogen is not found in our atmosphere. It present in free state to
very small amount in atmosphere (less than ppm) and in natural gas
form oil wells about 10% but exits in combined state as in water (about
11.1 % by weight) and hydrocarbons
Chemistry In Action: Metallic Hydrogen
 Reactive forms of Hydrogen
1. Nascent hydrogen
A reactive form of hydrogen produced in situ in the reaction mixture. It
is very active at the moment of its liberation
Zn+ 2 HCl ZnCl2 +2[H]

2. Atomic hydrogen
Hydrogen obtained by the dissociation of molecular hydrogen is called
atomic hydrogen. It has a very short life and spontaneously combine
to form molecular hydrogen.
H2 2H
• What is the difference between nascent hydrogen and
atomic hydrogen?

• Both are the same. Usually hydrogen exists as a di-atomic

molecule, bonded by covalent bond. Hydrogen obtained by
dissolution of this bond is called atomic hydrogen.
Atomic hydrogen released during chemical reaction is called
nascent hydrogen
 Isotopes of Hydrogen

There are three isotopes of hydrogen

1.Protium 1H1 contains 0 neutrons

2.Deuterium 1H2 contains 1 neutrons

3.Tritium 1H3 contains 2 neutrons .

 Isotopes of Hydrogen

1
1 H (hydrogen), 2
1 H (deuterium, D), 1H (tritium, T)
3

Kinetic isotope effect

CH3COOH (aq) CH3COO- (aq) + H+ (aq) Ka = 1.8 x 10-5
CH3COOD (aq) CH3COO- (aq) + D+ (aq) Ka = 6 x 10-6
 How Hydrogen Produced
 Reforming fossile fuels (Steam Reforming)

 Electrolysis of water
• Use electricity to split water into O2 and H2

 Biological Processes
Very common in nature
Experimental in laboratories

 Reaction in which the proton H+ is reduced

 Reaction in which the hybride ion H- is oxidized

THE STEAM REFORMING

 Water (Steam) and hydrocarbon mixed at high temperature

(700 – 1100 °C)

 Steam H2O(g) reacts with methane (CH4) at high temperature

(750 – 800 °C)
CH4 + H2O (g) CO (g) + 3 H2 (g)

 Carbon monoxide reforming : additional hydrogen can be recovered

using carbon monoxide (CO)
CO + H2O (g) CO2 + H2
Chemistry In Action: Synthetic Gas from Coal

C (s) + H2O (g) CO (g) + H2 (g)

C (s) + 2H2 (g) CH4 (g)
CO (g) + 2H2 (g) CH3OH (l)

21.3
3. Industrial preparation of hydrogen
iii. The action of steam on propane or coke
Hydrogen is prepared by reaction of propane (natural gas or as product
of oil refineries) with steam in presence of catalyst

C3H8 (g) + 3H2O (g) 3 CO (g) + 7H2 (g)

Another process, steam is passed over a bed of red-hot coke

C (s) + H2O (g) CO (g) + H2 (g)

1. Reaction in which the proton H+ is reduced
2H+ + 2e- H2
i. The action of electropositive metals on water
Na + 2H2O 2NaOH + H2 Strong 2

Ca + 2H2O Ca(OH)2 + H2 Rapidly

Mg + 2H2O Mg(OH)2 + H2 on heating
 Aluminum immediately
Materials used
following the addition of 40
percent sodium hydroxide

Aluminum with 40 percent sodium

hydroxide after approx. 2 minutes View from above; end of the reaction
iii. Addition of any metals above hydrogen in electrochemical
series to acidic solution, the hydrogen is evolved

Zn (s) + 2HCl (aq) ZnCl2 (aq) + H2 (g)

Electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen

Electrolysis of water is the decomposition of water (H2O)

into O2 and H2 gas due to an electric current being passed
through the water.
This technique can be used to make hydrogen fuel (hydrogen
gas) and breathable oxygen
 Physical properties of hydrogen

1. Hydrogen is a colorless, odorless and tasteless substance

2. Hydrogen liquid (B.P. -253 oC) is the least dense liquid

3. The ionization energy of hydrogen is very high (1311 kj/mol) so the

bonds formed by H are mainly covalent.

4. HF is the compound which may contains H+ because the larger

difference in electronegativity between H and F, but even here bond

is only 45% ionic.

 Chemical properties of hydrogen
1. The hydrogen molecule is very stable at normal temperature.
2. It dissociates at high temperature, with an electric arc or under UV
light, it’s dissociation is highly exothermic
H2 2H H = 431 kj/mol.
3. The life time of hydrogen atom is very short less than half second
and recombines to give molecule giving a large amount of heat.
4. The binary compounds of hydrogen with elements forms compounds
called hydrides and there are three classes of it
I. Ionic or salts like hydride
II. Covalent or molecular hydrides
III. Metallic or interstitial hydrides
Binary Hydrides of the Representative Elements
 Ionic or salts like hydride
 They are formed by the reaction of hydrogen with highly
electropositive elements (group1A and heavier elements of group 2A
Ca, Sr, Ba).
 They have the following properties of ionic hydride:
- they are solid in nature at ambiant conditions
- they have high melting points
- they React with H2O to give hydrogen

LiH + H2O LiOH + H2

- the conduct electricity when fused liberating H at anode
- They are powerful reducing reagent at high temperature
2CO + NaH HCOONa + C
 Hydrogenation

Hydrogenation is the addition of hydrogen to compounds

containing multiple bonds.

H H
H H Catalysis
H2 + C C H C C H
H H
H H

Pt catalyst on Al2O3 used in hydrogenation

 The Hydrogen Economy

2H2 (g) + O2 (g) 2H2O (l)

Fuel Values of Some Common Fuels

Fuel Fuel Value (kJ/g)
Wood (pine) 18
Coal 31
Crude oil 45
Gasoline 48
Natural gas 49
Hydrogen 142
Electrolytic Production of Fluorine

2F- F2 (g) + 2e-

2H+ + 2e- H2 (g)
2HF H2 (g) + F2 (g)
21.6