Chapter-3:

Metals and Non-metals

Topics To be covered:

(i) Physical properties of metals

(ii) Physical properties of non-metals
(iii) Metalloids
(iv) Alloys
(v) Corrosion
 Elements
 Till now, About 118 elements have been discovered and out
of these, 92 elements are natural whereas the rest 26
elements are synthetic elements.
 Technetium(Tc) was the first artificially produced element.
 The smallest unit of an element is an atom which shows all
the properties of an element. Therefore, all the atoms of an
element are identical.
 Atoms of different elements differ in various aspects like
size and the composition.
 Elements can exist in solid, liquid or gaseous state, like
aluminium(Al) exist as solid, nitrogen(N2) exist as gas and
mercury(Hg) exist as liquid.
 Physical Properties of Metals
 Metals are the elements which are generally malleable,
ductile, sonorous, lustrous, good conductors of
electricity and heat, have high density, have high
tensile strength, have high melting and boiling point
and are silver or grey.
 The most abundant element in the earth crust is
oxygen(46.6%), then silicon(27.7%), and then
aluminium(8.1%) and so on…….
 The most abundant metal in earth crust is aluminium.
 Malleability of metals can be seen as aluminium foil is
used to wrap food items, copper and aluminium sheets
are used to make utensils, iron sheets are used for
making body of automobiles and containers.
 Exceptions : Zinc is non-malleable.
 Ductility of matals can be seen as one gram of gold can be
stretched into a wire about 2Km long.
 Exceptions: Zinc is non-ductile.
 Silver is the best conductor of heat and electricity, followed
by copper, gold and then aluminium. But still, copper and
aluminium are used in making cooking utensils and water
boilers and electrical wires.
 Metals are hard but still some exceptions exist like sodium
and potassium which are soft metals.
 Metals exist in solid state but still one exception is there,
i.e., Mercury exist as liquid.
 Tungsten metal has the highest melting point(3410 degree
celcius). But gallium and caesium melts easily when kept
on our palm.
To Prove That Metals Are Good
Conductors Of Heat
To Prove That Metals Are Good
Conductors Of Electricity
Investigating The Conditions Required
For Rusting Of Iron
 Physical Properties of Non-Metals
 Non-Metals are the elements which are generally non-
malleable, non-ductile, non-sonorous, non-lustrous,
poor conductors of electricity and heat, have low
density, have low tensile strength, have low melting
and boiling point and are of different colours.
 The most abundant non-metal in earth crust is oxygen.
 Non-Malleability/Ductility or brittle nature of non-
metals can be seen as sulphur and phosphorus break
into small pieces on hammering.
 Non-metals are generally insulators. Exceptions:
Diamond which is a good conductor of heat and
graphite which is a good conductor of electricity.
 Non-metals are soft. Exceptions: Diamond is the
only hardest non-metal known.
 Non-metals are dull. Exceptions: Diamond and
Iodine are lustrous.
 Non-metals exist in solid or gaseous state.
Exceptions: Bromine which exist as liquid.
 Non-metals are of different colours. For example,
Bromine is reddish brown, sulphur is yellow,
phosphorus is white, red or yellow in colour.
 Non-metals have low melting or boiling points.
Exceptions: Diamond.
 Non-metals have low density. Exceptions: Diamond
 Metalloids
 The elements which possess some properties of
metals and some other properties of non-metals are
called metalloids.
 They are often called as semi-metals.
 They look like metals but are brittle like non-
metals.
 They are neither good conductors of electricity nor
good insulators. That’s why they are also called
semi-conductors.
 Some metalloids are: Silicon(Si), Germenium(Ge)
Arsenic(As), Antimony(Sb), Tellurium(Te),
Polonium(Po) and Astatine(At).
 Alloys
 Alloys are the homogeneous mixtures of two or
more metals or metals with small quantity of non-
metals.
 It is prepared by melting the main metal and after
that mixing the other elements in the molten form in
it in a fixed proportion and then cooling it at room
temperature.
 Amalgams are the alloys which have mercury as
main metal. For example, zinc amalgam, sodium
amalgam.
 Objectives of Alloying
 Alloys are generally prepared to improve the
characteristics of the main metal present in it.
 Pure iron is very soft and stretches easily when hot ,
that’s why it is never used in its pure state rather it
is generally mixed with small amount of carbon
(approximately 0.05%) which makes it hard and
strong to be used for various purposes like
construction of pillars, bridges, etc.
 Brass(an alloy of copper and zinc) and Bronze(an
alloy of copper and tin) are not good conductors of
electricty whereas copper being a good conductor
of electricity is used for making electric circuits.
 Objectives of Alloying
 Solder(an alloy of lead and tin) is generally used for
welding electrical wires together because of its low
melting point.
 Stainless steel( an alloy of iron, chromium and nickel)
is generally used for making surgical instruments as it
is hard and does not rust as well.
 Pure gold is 24-carat gold and is very soft. So, for the
designing of jewellery, the gold is alloyed with either
copper or silver. 22-carat gold is generally prefered for
making ornaments.
 Duralumin(an alloy of aluminium, copper, magnesium
and manganes) is light in weight as well as strong,
that’s why used in making body of aircrafts.
Corrosion: The slow destruction or eating up of metals by
the reaction of water, some atmospheric gases like oxygen,
carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide with metals is called
corrosion.
Corrosion
 Prevention of rusting
 Oiling and greasing can be done on the surface of
iron objects in order to prevent rusting of iron.
 Electroplating can be done with corrosion resistant
metals such as chromium and nickel.
 Galvanisation can be done by depositing a thin layer
of zinc(more electropositive metal than iron) on iron
objects.
 Tinning can be done by depositing a thin layer of
tin(less electropositive metal than iron) on iron
objects.
 Alloying can also be done(with metal or non metal)
in order to prevent rusting of iron.
 Home Work
1.Give reasons:
(i)Copper is used in making cooking utensils and boilers.
(ii)Aluminium is used as wrapper of medicines.
(iii)Statue of liberty has turned green with time.
(iv)Silver is used in polishing the back of a mirror.
(v)Non-metals have low density.
(vi)Electroplating is helpful for prevention of rusting.
(vii)Titanium is called strategic metal.
(viii)Sodium is kept immersed in kerosene oil.
(ix)Gold is used in designing of jewellery.
(x)Tunsten is used in making filament of electric bulb.
(xi)Aluminium do not require polishing and painting.
(xii)Tarnished copper items can be cleaned with lemon juice.
2.Why is copper used to make hot water tanks not steel(an
alloy of iron)?
3.What is aqua-regia? Explain its importance.
4.Give two examples each of the metals that are good
conductors and poor conductors of heat respectively.
5.A metal N does not liberate hydrogen from acids but
reacts with oxygen to give a black coloured product.
Identify N and black coloured product and also explain
the reaction of N with oxygen.
6.Reactivity of aluminium decreases if it is dipped in
nitric acid. Comment
7.Metals like Na, K, Ca and Mg are never found in their
free state in nature.
8.Write the differences between galvanisation and
alloying?