CHAPTER 3

METALS AND NON

METALS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF METALS AND NON METALS
PROPERTY METALS NON METALS

1. Physical state
This PowerPoint Solids (except
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beBr)
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2. Appearance Have luster Do not possess a lustre (except I)
make a complete PowerPoint Presentation that best suit your needs.
3. Hardness Hard solids (except Li, Na, K) Soft and brittle (except diamond)
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4. Malleability
content and meetsMalleable
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5. Ductility Ductile (most ductile - Au) Not ductile

This PowerPoint Good conductors (except Hg) Poor conductors

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6. Electrical conduction Template has clean and neutral design be adapted
(best conductor-Ag, Cu)
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Good conductors (except Pb)
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7. Thermal complete PowerPoint Presentation that bestPoor
(best conductors Ag>Cu>Al)
conductors
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High (except Li, Na, K, Ga, Cs ) Low Mpt and Bpt (except graphite and diamond)
8. M.pt./B.pt.

Sonorous (except soft metals like Li, Na, Not sonorous

9. Sonority
K)
10. Density High Low

11. Tensile strength High Low

CHEMICAL NATURE OF METALS AND NON METALS
Classification of elements as metals and non metals on the basis of physical properties is not ac-
curate as there are a lot of exceptions. To classify elements as metals and non metals on the basis
of their chemical properties, we will have to study their atomic structure.
Observe the following table:
The table shows the distribution of electrons in the various shells and the valence shell can contain
1 to 8 electrons.
We know that if,

Number of valence electrons are less that 4, then the element has the tendency to lose electrons
Number of valence electrons are more that 4, then the element has the tendency to gain elec-
trons
Number of valence electrons are 4, then the element has the tendency to share electrons
Metals are elements which have Non metals are the elements which
the tendency to lose electrons. They have the tendency to gain electrons.
are said to be electropositive. They are said to be electronegative
Examples: Examples:
Na  Na+ + e- N + 3e-  N3-
Mg  Mg+2 + 2e- O + 2e  O2-
Al  Al+3 + 3e- F + e-  F-
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF METALS
 REACTION WITH OXYGEN
Most metals react with oxygen to form metal oxides
METAL + OXYGEN  METAL OXIDE

EXAMPLES:
4Na + O2  2Na2O
4K + O2  2K2O
4Al + 3O2  2Al2O3
3Fe + 2O2  Fe3O4
2Cu + O2  2CuO

Metal oxides are basic in nature.

However some metallic oxides like Aluminium oxide and Zinc oxide show both acidic and basic properties, i.e. they
react with both acids and bases to produce salt and water. These oxides are known as Amphoteric oxides.

Al2O3 + HCl  AlCl3 + H2O

Al2O3 + NaOH  NaAlO2 + H2O

ZnO + HCl  ZnCl2 + H2O

ZnO + NaOH + Na2ZnO2 + H2O
REACTIVITIES OF DIFFERENT METALS TOWARDS OXYGEN
Sodium and potassium are highly reactive
elements and react with oxygen even at room
temperature vigourously as follows:
4Na + O2  2Na2O
4K + O2  2K2O
The reaction is so vigourous that these metals
catch fire if kept in open air. Hence they are
kept immersed in kerosene oil in order to cut
off the supply of air. These oxides dissolve in
water to form NaOH and KOH respectively.

Magnesium, Aluminium, Zinc and lead also

combine with air at ordinary temperatures to
form a protective layer of the oxide on their
surface. However, the reaction is much slower
than that of sodium or potassium.
For example
4Al + 3O2  2Al2O3
On heating magnesium to ignition
temperature, it burns with a
dazzling white flame produce
magnesium oxide.

2Mg + O2  2MgO
Iron does not burn in air even on strong heating but
begins to glow with a bright light. At high temperatures it
combines with oxygen to form iron oxide (Fe3O4)
3Fe + 2O2  Fe3O4

However, iron fillings burn when sprinkled on fire.

Copper also does not burn in air even on strong heating.

However on heating in air for a long period of time, it is
covered with a layer of black coloured oxide, Cupric oxide
2Cu + O2  2CuO
As prolonged heating is required, this shows that copper
is less reactive than iron.
Silver, gold and platinum do not combine with oxygen
of the air even at high temperatures. This shows that they
are least reactive.
 REACTION WITH WATER
A number of metals react with water to form hydroxide
or oxide with the evolution of hydrogen gas. However
reactivity of different metals is different. Some metals
react with water at room temperature, some of them re-
act on heating, some react with steam only, whereas
some do not react at all.

METAL + WATER  METAL OXIDE + HYDROGEN

OR
METAL + WATER  METAL HYDROXIDE + HYDROGEN
Sodium and potassium react even with cold
water very violently and the reaction is
highly exothermic. Hence the hydrogen
evolved catches fire.
2Na + 2H2O  2NaOH + H2
2K + 2H2O  2KOH + H2

Calcium also reacts with water at room

temperature forming calcium hydroxide but
the reaction is less violent. The heat evolved is
not sufficient for hydrogen evolved to catch
fire.
Ca + 2H2O + Ca(OH)2 + H2

Magnesium does not react with cold water.

It reacts only with hot water forming
magnesium hydroxide and hydrogen.
Mg + 2H2O + Mg(OH)2 + H2
It also starts floating on the surface of water
due to bubbles of hydrogen gas sticking on its
surface.
Aluminium and iron do not react with cold or hot water. They react only
with steam to form metal oxide and hydrogen.
2Al + 3H2O  Al2O3 + 3H2
Fe + 4H2O  Fe3O4 + 4H2
 REACTION WITH DILUTE ACIDS
Metals react with acids to produce a salt with the evolution of hydrogen gas.
The metals which are more reactive than hydrogen are able to displace it from acids.

METAL + ACID  SALT + HYDROGEN

Examples
Zn + H2SO4  ZnSO4 + H2
Mg + HCl  MgCl2 + H2
Fe + 3HCl  FeCl3 + H2

The metals which are below hydrogen in the reactivity series do not react with acids. The intensity
of the reaction of metals with acids depends upon their relative reactivities.
Copper, silver and mercury do not react with acids.
Gold and Platinum do not react with pure and strong acids like HCl, H 2SO4 and HNO3. But these
metal can get dissolved in a mixture of HCl and HNO 3 which is known as AQUA REGIA (‘royal
water’ in latin). It consists of HCl and HNO3 taken in the ratio of 3:1.
REACTION WITH NITRIC ACID
If Nitric acid is used in place of hydrochloric acid or sulphuric acid, no hydrogen gas is evolved.
This is because nitric acid is a strong oxidizing agent and oxidizes the hydrogen evolved into
water and itself gets reduced to an oxide of nitrogen such as N 2O, NO, NO2. The kind of oxide
formed is governed by the concentration of nitric acid and the metal used.

However, magnesium and manganese react with a very dilute solution of nitric acid giving out
hydrogen gas.
 REACTION OF METALS WITH METAL SALTS
DISPLACEMENT REACTIONS
Metals react with solutions of other metal salts according to their reactivities. The type of
reaction involved is displacement reaction which is governed by the reactivity series.
 DISPLACEMENT REACTIONS

The reactions in which a more reactive

metal diplaces a less reactive one from its
compound, are termed as displacement
reaction.
By using these reactions we can arrange
metals in an order of reactivities.
A series of metals in decreasing order of
reactivities is known as the
REACTIVITY SERIES.
REACTION OF METALS WITH NON METALS
IONIC BONDING
We know that metals are elements having less than 4 electrons in their valence shell and non-
metals are elements that have 4 or more electrons in their valence shell.
The elements which have less than 4 electrons in the valence shell have a tendency to lose
electrons. These are metals and are said to be electropositive.
The elements which have more than 4 but less than 8 electrons in their valence shell have a
tendency to gain electrons. These are non-metals and are said to be electronegative.
(These elements can share electrons too)
The elements having 4 electrons in their valence shells have a tendency to share electrons to
complete the octet. They are also non-metals.
They elements that have 8 electrons in their valence shell are unreactive. They are the noble
gases and are also classified as non-metals.

The elements react with one another in order to complete their octet. This can take place by
losing or gaining of electrons. The bond thus formed is known as the IONIC BOND.
 PROPERTIES OF IONIC COMPUNDS
1. Physical state – Most of the ionic compounds are crystalline solids. They are relatively hard
because of strong electrostatic forces of attraction between the oppositely charged ions. They
are brittle and break into pieces if some force is applied on them.
2. Solubility – They are soluble in water but insoluble in organic solvents like benzene, alcohol,
ether, chloroform, etc.
3. Melting points and boiling points – They have high melting and boiling points. This is because
in the case of ionic compounds, the oppositely charged ions are held together by strong
electrostatic forces of attraction. Hence a lot of heat is required to overcome these forces in
order to change the solid ionic compound into liquid.
4. Electrical conductivity – Conduction of electricity requires the movement of charges. In the solid
state the ionic compounds are unable to conduct electricity because the ions (charges) are
unable to move. However in the molten state they are free to move about and hence will
conduct electricity. Ionic compounds also conduct electricity in aqueous solutions. In aqueous
solutions ionic compounds dissociate into constituent compounds and hence ions are
introduced in the solution and the conduction of electricity becomes possible.