METALS AND NON-METALS

Ductility: The property due to which metals can be drawn into thin wires.

Malleability: The property due to which a metal can be beaten into thin sheets.

Sonorosity: The property of the metal to produce sound when struck or bends.

Comparison between metals and non-metals based on physical properties

Property Metals Non metals

State of existence Metals are solids at room
temperature.
Exception: Mercury is a
liquid
Lustre Metals have shiny surface ie.
Luster when freshly cut.
Conductivity Metals are good conductors of
heat and electricity.
Silver is the best conductor
of heat and electricity
Hardness Metals are usually hard.
Exception: alkali metals like
Na, K are soft and can easily
be cut through knife.
Sonorosity Metals are sonorous
Malleabilty&Ductility Metals are malleable and
ductile
Gold, silver and platinum
are highly ductile and
maleable
M.P &B.P Metals have high melting and
boiling point.
Exception: Gallium, cesium
have low melting points
Allotropy Metals do not exist in
allotropic forms
Tensile strength High tensile strength i.e they
do not break easily
Non-metals exist in all three
states of matter
Non-metals are generally non-
lustrous.
Exception: Crystals of iodine
has a bright lustre
Non-metals are poor
conductors of heat and
electricity.
Exception: Graphite is a
good conductor of electricity
Non-metals are usually soft.
Exception: Diamond is the
hardest substance known
Non-metals are non- sonorous
Non-metals are not malleable
and ductile. They are brittle
Non-metals have usually low
melting and boiling point
Many non-metals exist in
allotropic forms.
Carbon two allotropic forms
are graphite and diamond
Non metals have low tensile
strength
Chemical properties of metals:

Metals in general have a tendency to lose one or more electrons present in the valence shell to
form positive ions or cat ions. Chemical properties of the metal are linked to the electron
releasing tendency of atom.

1. Reaction of metals with oxygen:

Metals burn in oxygen to form metal oxide

Metal + Oxygen→ Metal oxide

 Potassium and sodium react with oxygen at room temperature violently. As a

result of the heat involved they catch fire.

4Na + O2 → 2 Na2 O
Sodium oxide

 Magnesium reacts with oxygen on heating and burns with a dazzling flame to
form magnesium oxide

2 Mg + O2 → 2 Mg O
Magnesium oxide

 Iron is comparatively less reactive. It reacts with oxygen but does not burn to
form a mixture of Fe2 O3.FeO Iron (II,III) oxide- a brown colour substance

3Fe + 2 O2 → Fe3 O4 or Fe2 O3.FeO

Iron (II,III) oxide

 Copper reacts with oxygen on prolonged heating to form a black mass of

copper(ii) oxide

2 Cu + O2 → 2 CuO
Copper (II) oxide

 Silver and gold do not react wi6th oxygen even at very high temperatures

Nature of metal oxides:

 Oxides of metals like sodium , potassium, magnesium dissolve in water to form

soluble hydroxides. They are known as alkalies. They react with acids to form
salt and water.
  Oxides of metals like calcium, iron react with water to form hydroxides which
are insoluble in water. They remain as suspensions. These hydroxides are called
bases. They react with acids to form salt and water.

 Oxides of aluminium and zinc show basic as well as acidic characteristics. They
are called amphoteric oxides. They react both with acids as well as bases to
form salt and water.

Al 2O 3 + 6HCl → 2Al Cl3 + H 2O

Aluminium chloride

Al 2O 3 + 2Na OH → 2NaAl O2 + H 2O
Sodium meta aluminate

Zn O + 2 H Cl → ZnCl2 + H2O
Zinc chloride

Zn O + 2 NaOH → Na2 ZnO2 + H2O

Sodium zincate

2. Reaction of metals with water:

i) Metals react with cold and hot water to form metal hydroxide and hydrogen.

Metal + water→ Metal hydroxide + Hydrogen

 Potassium and sodium react with water violently even in cold and catch fire

2Na + 2H2 O → 2 Na O H + H2 + heat energy

2K + 2H2 O → 2 KO H + H2 + heat energy

 Calcium reacts with water less violently while magnesium reacts with water on
heating

Ca + 2H2 O → Ca(O H )2 + H2

Mg + 2H2 O → Mg(O H )2 + H2

Note: Calcium and magnesium starts floating because the bubbles of hydrogen gas
formed stick to the surface of the metal and offer buoyancy.

ii) Metals react with steam to form metal oxide and hydrogen.

Metal + water→ Metal oxide + Hydrogen

 Aluminium, zinc and iron reacts with water only when steam is passed over heated
metals

2Al + 3 H2 O → Al2 O3 + 3 H2

3 Fe + 4 H2 O → Fe3 O4 + 4 H2
Iron (II,III) oxide

 Copper, silver, gold do not react with water under any conditions

Note:

 Na and K react violently with moist air and catch fire as the reaction is highly
exothermic. They are kept under kerosene to avoid contact with both air and water

 A piece of sodium catches fire when thrown in water because the reaction is highly
exothermic. Hydrogen gas evolved during the reaction catches fire as the ignition
temperature of hydrogen gas is very low. i.e. it is highly combustible.

 Reaction of metals with acids: Metals placed above hydrogen react with dilute
acids to form salt and release hydrogen gas.
Metal + Acid→ Salt + Hydrogen gas

Zn + H2 SO4 (dil) → ZnSO4 (aq) + H2 (g)

Fe + H2 SO4 (dil) → FeSO4 (aq) + H2 (g)

Mg + 2HCl (dil) → MgCl2 (aq) + H2 (g)

Na + HCl (dil) → NaCl (aq) + H2 (g)

Note:

 Metals do not evolve hydrogen gas when they react with dilute nitric
acid. Nitric acid is a strong oxidizing agent and oxidizes the hydrogen
evolved to water and it self gets reduced to an oxide of nitrogen.

Zn + 4 HNO3 (dil) → Zn(NO3 )2 + 2 H2O + 2NO2

 Manganese and magnesium react with very dilute nitric acid to evolve
hydrogen gas.

Mg + 2HNO3 (very dilute) → Mg (NO3)2 + H2

 3. Reaction of metals with solution of other metallic salts: Metals placed higher in the
activity sereies can displace the metal which occupies a lower position from its aqueous
solution of its salt.

Na (s) + MgSO4 (aq) → Na2SO4 (aq) + Mg(s)

3 Mg (s) + Al 2 (SO4)3 (aq) → 3 MgSO4 (aq) + 2Al(s)

2Al (s) + 3ZnSO4 (aq) → Al 2 (SO4 )3 (aq) + 3Zn(s)

Zn(s) + FeSO4 (aq) → ZnSO4 (aq) + Fe(s)

Fe(s) + CuSO4 (aq) → FeSO4 (aq) + Cu(s)

Cu(s) + Ag NO3 (aq) → Cu (NO3) 2(aq) + Ag(s)

Activity series of metals: Metals are arranged in decreasing order of their reactivity in the
activity series. The reactivity of metals depends on its tendency to lose electrons. Metals
which can lose electrons more easily are more electropositive and are placed higher in the
activity series.

Note:

 Hydrogen is placed in the activity series because it also can lose electrons to
form electropositive ion.

 Metals above hydrogen are more reactive than hydrogen and can displace
hydrogen from dilute acids and water.

 Metals below hydrogen are less reactive and can not displace hydrogen
from water and dilute acids

 Metals act as good reducing agent as they can lose electron easily. Reducing
power of the metal decreases as we move down the activity series

 Most reactive metal can displace less reactive metal from its salt solution

 Gold and platinum are the least reactive metals also called noble metals.
They remain unaffected by air, water, and even chemical. Since they have
bright luster and are highly malleable and ductile jewellery is made from
them.

 Metals at the top of the series exist in the combined state where as the
metals at the bottom of the series exist in free or native state

Formation of ionic compounds:

  The electronic configuration of noble gases indicates that they have 8 valence
electrons (except helium which has 2 valence electrons) which make them stable.

 Metals tend to lose their valence electrons to form positive ions or cat ions to acquire
nearest stable noble gas configuration.

 Non- metals tend to gain electrons in their valence shell and form negative ions or
anions to acquire nearest stable noble gas configuration.

 When metals react with non-metals, the electrons lost by the metals are gained by the
non-metals forming ionic compounds or electrovalent compounds.

 The oppositely charged ions are drawn closer due to the electrostatic force of
attraction and result in a bond known as ionic bond or electrostatic bond.

Illustration of the formation of few ionic compound:

Sodium chloride: Electron dot structure to show exchange of ions

Na → Na + + e-
(2,8, 1 ) ( 2, 8)

[ sodium cation]

Cl + e- → Cl-
(2,8, 7) ( 2, 8, 8)

[Chloride anion]

Magnesium chloride Electron dot structure to show exchange of ions

Mg → Mg 2+ + 2e-
(2,8, 2 ) ( 2, 8)

[ MAgnesium cation]

Cl + e- → Cl-
(2,8, 7) ( 2, 8, 8)

[Chloride anion]

Sodium oxide: Electron dot structure to show exchange of ions

Na → Na + + e-
(2,8, 1 ) ( 2, 8)

[ sodium cation]

O + 2 e- → O2-
(2,8, 6) ( 2, 8, 8)

[Oxide anion]

Magnesium oxide Electron dot structure to show exchange of ions

Mg → Mg 2+ + 2e-
(2,8, 2 ) ( 2, 8)

[ Magnesium cation]

O + 2e- → O2-
(2,8, 6) ( 2, 8, 8)

[Oxide anion]

Properties of ionic compound:

1. Physical state: Ionic compounds are hard solids in form of crystals due to the closely
packed arrangement of ions in a regular pattern. The inter particle spaces is less and the
ionic force of attraction is very strong.

2. Melting and boiling point: Ionic compounds have melting and boiling point due to
strong inter ionic force of attraction between the ions so lot of energy is needed to break
them

3. Solubility: They are soluble in water and insoluble in organic solvents like kerosene,
petrol etc due to ionic nature

4. Electrical conductivity: The electrical conductivity is due to movement of charged

particles so ionic compounds conduct electricity in molten or aqueous state due to the
mobility of charged particles(ions). Ionic compounds do not conduct electricity in solid
state because movement of ions is not possible due to rigid structure.

5. Nature: They are brittle in nature and break into pieces when pressure is applied.

Distinction between metals and non metal based on chemical properties ( only for
understanding)
 Property Metals Non metals

Action with Metals react with oxygen to form Non-metals react with oxygen to
Oxygen basic oxides.(Exception: ZnO, Al2O3 form acidic oxides.(exception: CO,
are amphoteric oxides) N2O are neutral oxide)

Action with Active metals evolve hydrogen on Non-metals do not react with dilute
dilute acids heating with dilute H Cl &dilute acids
H2SO4

Na + HCl (dil) → NaCl (aq) + H2

Nature of The compounds of metals are mostly The compounds of non-metals with
Compounds ionic in nature nonmetals are covalent but with
metals are ionic.

Oxidising Metals act as reducing agents as Non-metals act as oxidizing agents as

/reducing their atoms lose electrons. they gain electrons
nature
Na → Na + + e- Cl + e- → Cl-

Electro Metals form cat ions by losing Non-metals form anions by gaining
chemical electrons. They are electropositive in electrons. They are electronegative in
behaviour nature nature

Extraction of metals

Minerals: Combined states of metals which occur naturally on earth’s crust

Ore: The mineral from which a metal can be extracted conveniently and profitably

Examples:

Metal Ore Chemical composition

Aluminium Bauxite Al2O3.2H2O

Copper Copper glance Cu2S

Malachite CuCO3.Cu(OH)2

Lead Galena PbS

 Zinc Zinc blende ZnS

Calamine ZnCO3

Mercury Cinnabar HgS

Sodium Rock salt NaCl

Iron Haematite Fe2O3.

Minerals: The natural materials in which the metals or their compounds are found in earth
are called minerals

Gangue/matrix: The rocky or earthy impurities that is associated with ores is called gangue

Metallurgy: The process of extraction and purification of a metal from its ore

Enrichment of ore: The process of removing gangue from ore based on the differences in
the physical or chemical properties of the gangue and the ore

Calcination: Heating of the an ore below its melting point in absence of air

Roasting: Heating of the an ore below its melting point in excess of air

Thermit reaction: Reduction of a metal oxide by aluminium is called thermit or themite

reaction

Metallurgy

The process of extracting metals from their ore and converting impure metal into pure metal
is called metallurgy. The steps involved in metallurgy are

1. Enrichment or concentration of ore

2. Extraction of metal

3. Refining of metal

1. Enrichment or concentration of ore: The process of removing gangue from ore based on
the differences in the physical or chemical properties of the gangue and the ore. Some of the
methods used for concentration are: magnetic separation, froth floatation, handpicking etc

2. Extraction of metals: On the basis of reactivity, different techniques are used for
extraction of metals that can be grouped into three categories:

1. Metals of low reactivity

2. Metals of medium reactivity

3. Metals of high reactivity

a) Extracting metals of low reactivity: Metals which are less reactive can be reduced
by heating alone as their oxides are thermally unstable and they decompose into
metal on heating. Cinnabar ore and copper glance ore are reduced into metals by
heating

2HgS + 3O2 → 2HgO + 2SO2 (g)

Cinnabar

2HgO → 2Hg + O2 (g)

2Cu2S + 3O2 → 2Cu 2O + 2SO2 (g)

Copper glance

2Cu 2O + Cu2 S → 6Cu + SO2 (g)

b) Extracting metals of medium reactivity: The moderately reactive metals like iron,
Zinc and lead are usually present as sulphides or carbonate ores in nature. The ores
are first converted into its oxides as metal oxides can easily be reduced to metallic
form with coke or other suitable reducing agents. The extraction involves two steps:

1. Conversion of enriched ore into oxides: This is done by two processes

depending on the nature of ore.

 Calcination: Heating of an ore below its melting point in absence of air. As a

result of calcinations following changes takes place.

1. Hydrated ore becomes anhydrous by losing water of crystallization

Al2O3.2H2O → Al2O3 + 2H2O

Bauxite Alumina

2. Carbonate ores decompose and form oxide of the metal

ZnCO3 → ZnO + CO2 (g)

Calamine

 Roasting: Heating of an ore below its melting point in excess of air. As a result
of roasting following changes takes place.

1. Impurities of non metals such as sulphur are converted into volatile

impurities

2. Sulphides of metals are converted into their oxides.

 2ZnS + 3O2 → 2ZnO + 2SO2 (g)
Zinc blende

2PbS + 3O2 → 2PbO + 2SO2 (g)

Galena

2. Reduction of oxides to metals:

 Reduction with carbon: The oxide is heated with carbon to a temperature above
its melting point when it gets reduced to the molten metal.

Zn O + C → Zn + CO (g)

 Reduction with aluminium: Some metals which are more reactive, their oxides
cannot be reduced by coke like manganese dioxide, Chromium trioxide. They are
reduced by highly electropositive metal like aluminium. This process is called
thermite process.

3MnO2 (s) + 4Al (s) → 2 Al2O3 (s) + 3Mn (l) + Heat

Manganese dioxide

Thermite welding: In thermite welding Iron (III) oxide is reduced to iron using
aluminium as a reducing agent. As this displacement reaction is highly
exothermic, iron is obtained in the molten state and can be used for joining broken
railway tracks, or cracked machinery parts.

Fe2O3 (s) + 2Al (s) → Al2O3 (s) + 2Fe (l) + Heat

Iron (III) oxide

c) Extracting metals of high reactivity: The highly reactive metals

like Na, K, Ca, Al can not be obtained by chemical reduction with carbon because
these metals are very good reducing agents and have more affinity for oxygen than
carbon. These metals are obtained by electrolysis of their molten oxides or
chlorides.

 Sodium metal is obtained by electrolytic reduction of molten NaCl. As a

result sodium is deposited at cathode and chlorine evolved at anode

2NaCl → 2Na+ + 2Cl-

Molten (cathode) (anode)

At cathode: 2Na+ + 2e- → 2Na (deposited)

At anode: 2Cl- → Cl2 + 2e- (evolved)

2NaCl → 2Na(l) + Cl2(g)

Molten
  Aluminium is obtained by electrolytic reduction of molten alumina. As a
result aluminium is deposited at the cathode and oxygen is evolved at the anode.

Al2O3 → 2Al3+ + 3O2-

Molten (cathode) (anode)

At cathode: 2Al3+ + 6e- → 2Al (deposited)

At anode: 3O2- → 3O + 3e- (evolved)

3O + 3O → 3O2

2Al2O3 → 4Al(l) + 3O2(g)

Molten

Note:

 During electrolysis, positive charged ion moves towards the cathode there
fore it is called a cat ion.

 During electrolysis, negatively charged ion moves towards the anode

therefore it is called anion

3. Refining of metal: The conversion of a crude metal into pure metal is known as
refining of metal. The most widely used method is electrolytic refining.

Electrolytic refining: This method is commonly used for the purification of metals
like Cu, Ag, Zn etc.

 The impure metal is made anode in an electrolytic cell.

 A thin strip of pure metal acts as a cathode in the electrolytic cell

 An electrolyte is the solution of the soluble salt of the same metal

 On passing electric current, metal ions from the electrolyte are reduced to
the metal which is deposited on the cathode.

 An equivalent amount of the pure metal from the anode gets dissolves
into the solution.

 The soluble impurities go to the solution.The insoluble impurities settle at

the bottom of the anode and are known as anode mud

Electro- refining of crude copper:

 Impure copper is made the anode and the plate of pure copper acts as a cathode.
The acidified copper suphate solution (CuSO4 + H2 SO4) acts as an electrolyte.
On passing current following changes takes place:

At cathode: Cu2+ (aq) + 2e- → Cu

(CuSO4) (deposited)

At anode: Cu(s) → Cu 2+(aq) + 2e-

(impure metal) (CuSO4)

Corrosion:

The process of eating up of a metal by the gases and water present in the air due to the
formation of layers of undesired compounds on the surface of metal is called corrosion.

Eg 1 : The slow conversion of iron into its hydrated ferric oxide the presence of moist air
is called rusting.

4Fe + 3O2 + 2xH2O 2Fe2O3.xH2O

The number of water molecules (x) in the rust varies, it is not fixed.

Eg 2 : Copper is attacked by moist air containing CO2 to form green coloured hydrated
copper carbonate (it is a slow process) - CuCO3.Cu(OH)2

Eg 3 : Silver gets attacked by moist air containing H2S to form black coloured silver
sulphide- (Ag2S)

Prevention
Corrosion of metals can be prevented by not allowing the surface of metal to come in
contact with moist air. This can be done by
1. Painting – Paint forms a protective coating on the surface of the article ,
as a result the metal does not come in contact with the moist air.
2. Oiling and greasing- Both protect the surface of the metal against
moisture and chemicals.
3. Galvanisation ( coating with Zn )- It is a method of protecting steel and
iron from rusting by coating them with a thin layer of zinc. The
galvanized iron is protected against corrosion even if the zinc coating is
broken because zinc is more easily oxidized than iron. So, when the
 zinc layer is broken, then zinc continues to corrode but iron object does
not corrode or rust.
4. Tinning- ( coating with tin )
5. Making alloys
6. Anodising: It is the process of forming a thick oxide layer of metal on
its surface. Aluminium reacts with oxygen to form a thin layer of
aluminium oxide (Al2O3) on the surface when exposed to air. The
aluminium oxide layer makes the metal unreactive and resistant to
further corrosion. That is why aluminium can be used in making
cooking utensils.

Note: Tarnished copper vessels are cleaned with lemon or tamarind juice because copper metal
slowly reacts with moist air to form basic copper carbonate which is green in colour and slowly
gets deposited on the surface of the metal. The lemon juice contains citric acid while tamarind
contains tartaric acid. These acids react with the basic carbonate coating and forms soluble salts.
They can be easily removed from the surface and the surface of the metal shines.

Improving the properties of metals:

The properties of the metals can be improved by adding small amounts of other metals or even
non-metals i.e by forming alloys

Alloy: The homogeneous mixture of more than one metal or even metal non metal is known as
alloy.

Amalgams: The alloy in which mercury is one of the constituents is known as amalgam
.Sodium-amalgam, Magnesium –amalgams are used as reducing agents.

Purpose of making alloys

 Increase the hardness: Alloys are harder than pure metals. Stainless steel and chrome
steel (alloys of iron) are harder than iron. Gold mixed with copper is harder than pure
gold

 Lower melting point: Solder (alloy of tin and lead) has lower melting point than both
the metals and is used to weld electrical wires together.

 Modify Chemical reactivity: Sodium metal catches fire when water is added to it
however sodium amalgam does not catch fire.

 Increase resistance towards corrosion: Iron gets easily rusted but stainless steel does
not get rusted.
  Electrical conductivity: Copper is a good conductor of electricity whereas bronze ( Cu
& Sn) and brass(Cu & Zn) are not good conductors of electricity. Copper is better
conductor of heat than steel that is why it is used for making hot water tanks to store
water.

 Increase tensile strength: Steel has greater tensile strength than the iron.

Common alloys and their uses:

Alloy Composition Uses

Bronze Cu, Sn Making statues, coins utensils

Brass Cu, Zn Making utensils, machinery parts,taps

Solder Pb & Sn Soldering electronic circuits

Stainless steel Fe, C, Cr, Ni Making utensils