Metals and Non-Metals Revision Notes

 All Elements are classified into three categories namely -

• Metals
• Non-metals 
• Metalloids

Metalloids are the elements that behave like both metals and nonmetals. Some of the common metals, non-metals, and metalloids include- 

Metals: Gold(Au) Silver (Ag), copper (Cu), 

Non metals: Hydrogen (H), Nitrogen (N), sulphur (S), 

Metalloids: Boron(B), Silicon (si) and Antimony(sb)

In the periodic table, metals are placed on the left-hand side, in the middle, and at the bottom of the periodic tables. Non-metals are placed on the right-hand side and in the upper middle of the periodic table and metalloids are located at the left end of the nonmetals (shown by dark yellow color generally). 

Read More: Metal, Non-metal, Metalloid, Periodic table, Gold, Silver, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Boron, Silicon

---

Properties or metals and non-metals

[Click Here for Sample Questions]

---

Metals

[Click Here for Sample Questions]

The elements that conduct electricity and heat are metals. They are malleable and ductile. Some examples of metals are Iron (Fe), Aluminium (Al), Silver (Ag), Copper (Cu), Gold (Au), Platinum (Pt), Lead (Pb), Potassium (K), Sodium (Na), Calcium (Ca) and Magnesium (Mg), etc. Metals generally have 1 to 3 electrons in the outermost shell (or valency cell) of their atoms.

• Physical properties of metals- 

• All metals except mercury are solids. 
• Metals are malleable in nature and can be hammered into very thin sheets. Among all the metals, gold and silver are the most malleable.
• Metals are ductile, thus they can be drawn into thin wires. Gold, copper, and silver are among the most ductile metals.
• Metals are good conductors of heat and electricity.
• Metals are lustrous and sonorous.
• They have high tensile strength- they can bear a lot of stress. 
• Melting and boiling points: Most metals except sodium and potassium have high melting and boiling points.
• Metals can form alloys with other metals. 

• Chemical properties of metals 

1. Metals react with oxygen- 

All metals when combined with oxygen form metal oxides. The reactivity of a metal with oxygen depends on the nature of the metal. 

• Sodium reacts with oxygen at room temperature and forms sodium oxide- 

4Na+O₂ = 2Na₂O

Sodium+oxygen/air= sodium oxide

• Magnesium does not react with oxygen at room temperature but on heating in oxygen magnesium burns with dazzling white light to give magnesium oxide

Magnesium+oxygen = magnesium oxide 

2Mg+O₂ = 2MgO

• zinc on heating burn with bluish flames 

Zinc+Oxygen= zinc oxide

2zn+ O₂ = 2ZNO

• Iron reacts with oxygen on strong heating - 

Iron+Oxygen= Iron oxide.

2Fe + 2O₂ = Fe₃O₄

2. Metals oxides ( formed after reactions between metals and oxygen) also reacts -

• Metals oxide are of two types depending on its nature namely basic and amphoteric. 
• Metal oxides react with the water and form metal hydroxides as a result. Eg: sodium oxide+ water forms sodium hydroxide i.e. Na₂O+H₂O= 2NaOH

3. Metals reacts with water- 

Different metals react with water under different conditions-

• Magnesium is less reactive than sodium
• Aluminium is less reactive than aluminium
• Zinc is less reactive than aluminium
• Iron is less reactive than zinc
• Copper is less reactive than iron

Na>Mg>AL>Fe>Cu

4. Metals react with dilute acids- 

Usually, metals displace hydrogen from dilute acids. 

• Metals react with dilute hydrochloric acid to give metal chloride and hydrogen gas
• Metals with dilute sulphuric acid give metal sulphate and hydrogen gas
• Metals do not produce hydrogen gas with nitric acid. 

Eg: Magnesium reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid and forms hydrogen and magnesium chloride.

Metal + Acid → Metal Salt + Hydrogen

Mg + 2HCl → MgCl₂ + H₂

Also Read:

---

Non-Metals

[Click Here for Sample Questions]

The elements that do not conduct electricity are known as non-metals. They are neither malleable nor ductile. Examples: Carbon(C), Phosphorous(P), Silicon(Si), Sulphur(S), Oxygen(O), Nitrogen(N), Chlorine(Cl), Hydrogen(H), Bromine(Br), Neon(Ne), Argon(Ar) etc.

Non-metals have 4 to 8 electrons in the outermost shell (or the valence shell) of their atom. 

• Physical properties of non-metals 

• Non-metals are brittle- they can break up into pieces when pressed hard or hammered. 
• Non-metals are neither malleable nor ductile. Solid non-metals cannot be drawn into wires or converted into sheets 
• Non-metals are insulators- they do not conduct heat or electricity 
• Non-metals do not have lustera states-metals are soft and they usually have low density.
• Non-metals have low tensile strength. They can be easily broken
• Non-metals have low melting and boiling points. However, graphite has a high melting point (3700-degree Celsius) 
• Non-metals are non-sonorous and do not produce any sound 
• At room temperature, non-metals can either be solid, liquid, or gaseous. For eg: at room temperature sulphur and phosphorus are solids, bromine is liquid, whereas hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen gases are gases.
• Non-metals show allotropy- the property of an element to exist in more than one structural form is called allotropy and most of the metals are allotropic forms. Eg: carbon exists in the following allotropic forms - diamond, graphite, coal, coke, lamp black, etc.

• Chemical properties of non-metals

1. Non-metals reacts with oxygen- 

Non-metals react with oxygen to give oxides. The oxide may be of acidic or neutral nature. Non-metal + Oxygen → Non-metal oxide.

Eg: Carbon+oxygen= carbon dioxide (C+ O₂= CO₂)

Sulphur + oxygen = sulphur oxide ( S+ O₂= SO₂)

2. Non-metals react with chlorine and form covalent chlorides. 

Eg: with hydrogen: Hydrogen reacts with chlorine to form hydrogen chloride i.e. H₂+CL₂ = 2HCL 

3. Non-metals react with salt solution
4. Non-metals react with hydrogen and form hydrides. Eg: H₂(g) + S(l) = H₂S(g)

Also Read:

Reactivity series 

Some metals react more than others and the tendency of a metal to lose electrons is the measure of reactivity. In other words, we can say a more electropositive metal is more reactive. 

The reactivity series of metals refer to their arrangement in a vertical column in order of decreasing reactivity.

Reactivity series

---

Ionic compounds

[Click Here for Sample Questions]

The compound formed due to the transfer of electrons from the atom of an element to that of another is called ionic (or electrovalent compound). 

Some of the common ionic compounds are sodium chloride, potassium sulphate, calcium chloride, etc. 

Elements of ionic compounds- 

• Hars, rigid, and brittle solids
• Ionic compounds have high density 
• They also have high melting and boiling points 
• Solubility: ionic compounds dissolve easily in polar solvents such as water, but do not dissolve in nonpolar organic solvents such as benzene, carbon tetrachloride, etc. 
• Dissociation: when dissolved in water or when melted the ionic compounds dissociate to give free ions.
• Conductivity: solid ionic compounds do not conduct electricity. However, when dissolved in solvents like water or when melted the ions become conductors. 
• Crystalline nature: in ionic compounds, ions are arranged in a regular geometrical order which gives it a crystal look.

Read more : Metal and nonmetals extraction

---

Occurrence of metals

[Click Here for Sample Questions]

In nature, metals occur in free as well as combined state. The less reactive metals are generally found in the free state however, most metals are found in the combined form as minerals. 

• Minerals- Naturally occurring compounds of metals mixed with earthly materials are called minerals. Minerals may contain a small or a very large percentage of metals. 
• Ore- A mineral from which a metal can be extracted easily is called an ore. Eg: some of the common ore of iron are oxide ores, carbonate ore, and sulphide ore. 
• Gangue: ores usually contain large quantities of unwanted earthly materials as well and these earthly materials are called gangue. 

Read more : Non-metals