* CHAPTER - 3

METALS AND NON

METALS
CLASS :- X
MADE BY :- MANAS MAHAJAN
* 1a) Physical properties of metals :-
*Metals are solids. (except mercury)
*Metals are hard. (except Lithium, Potassium, Sodium)
*Metals have metallic lustre. (shine)
*Metals are malleable. (can be beaten into thin sheets)
*Metals are ductile. (can be drawn into wires)
*Metals have high melting points. (Gallium and Ceasium have low
melting points. They melt in the palm of the hand)
*Metals have high boiling points.
*Metals are good conductors of heat. ( Best conductors are silver
and copper. Poor conductors are Lead and Mercury)
*Metals are good conductors of electricity. ( Best conductors are
Silver and Copper)
*Metals are sonorus. (produce sound when beaten)
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* b) Physical properties of non metals :-
*Non metals may be solids, liquids or gases. (Solids – Carbon,
Sulphur, Phosphorus etc. Liquid – Bromine, Gases – Oxygen,
Hydrogen, Nitrogen etc.)
*Non metals are soft. (except diamond which is the hardest natural
substance)
*Non metals do not have lustre.( except iodine cryatals)
*Non metals are not malleable.
*Non metals are not ductile.
*Non metals which are solids and liquids have low melting points.
*Non metals which are solids and liquids have low boiling points.
*Non metals are bad conductors of heat.
*Non metals are bad conductors of electricity. (except graphite)
*Non metals are not sonorus.
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* 2) Chemical properties of metals :-
i) Reaction with oxygen :-
Metals react with oxygen to form metal oxides.
When copper is heated it combines with oxygen to form copper oxide.
2Cu + O2 2CuO
When aluminium is heated it combines with oxygen to form aluminium
oxide. 4Al + 3O2 2Al2O3
Some metal oxides are basic oxides because they react with water to
form bases.
4Na + O2 2Na2O
Na2O + H2O 2NaOH
K + O2 K2O
K2O + H2O 2KOH
Some metal oxides show acidic and basic properties. They are called
amphoteric oxides. Eg :- Aluminium oxide, Zinc oxide etc.
Al2O3 + 6HCl 2AlCl3 + 3H2O
(basic)
Al2O3 + NaOH NaAlO2 + H2O
(acidic) (Sodium aluminate)
* The reactivity of different metals with oxygen is different :-
* Metals like potassium and sodium react vigorously with oxygen and
catch fire if kept in open. Hence they are stored in kerosene to prevent
burning.
* If magnesium is heated, it burns with a bright flame.
* If iron is heated it glows brightly.
* If copper is heated it does not burn but forms a black coating of copper
oxide.
* Silver and gold does not react with oxygen even at high temperature.
* Some metals like magnesium, aluminium, zinc, lead etc. forms an oxide
layer over it which prevents further oxidation. They are called self
protecting metals.

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* ii) Reaction with water :-
Metals react with water to form metal oxides or metal hydroxides and
hydrogen.
2Na + 2H2O 2NaOH + H2
2K + H2O 2KOH + H2
Ca + H2O Ca(OH)2 + H2
2Al + 3H2O Al2O3 + H2
3Fe + 4H2O Fe2O3 + 4H2

The reactivity of different metals with water is different :-

- Sodium and potassium react violently with cold water to form sodium
hydroxide and hydrogen and catches fire.
- Calcium reacts less violently with water to form calcium hydroxide
and water and does not catch fire.
- Magnesium reacts only with hot water to form magnesium hydroxide
and hydrogen.
- Metals like aluminium, iron and zinc react only with steam to form
the metal oxides and hydrogen.
- Metals like lead, copper, silver and gold do not react with water.
 * iii) Reaction with acids :-
Metals react with dilute acids to form salts and hydrogen.
Mg + 2HCl MgCl2 + H2
2Al + 6 HCl 2AlCl3 + 3H2
Zn + 2HCl ZnCl2 + H2
Fe + 2HCl FeCl2 + H2
The reactivity varies from metal to metal. For the above metals
the decreasing order of reactivity is Mg > Al > Zn > Fe.
Copper, silver and gold do not react with dilute HCl.
Hydrogen gas is not evolved when metals react with nitric acid
(HNO3) because it is a strong oxidising agent and it oxidises the H2
produced to water and is itself reduced to oxides of nitrogen.
3Cu + 8HNO3 3Cu(NO3)2 + 4H2O + 2NO2
 * iv) Reaction of metals with metal salt solutions :-
A more reactive metal displaces a less reactive metal from its salt solution.
(Displacement reaction)
Magnesium displaces copper from copper sulphate solution.
Mg + CuSO4 MgSO4 + Cu
Zinc displaces copper from copper sulphate solution.
Zn + CuSO4 ZnSO4 + Cu
Iron displaces copper from copper sulphate solution
Fe + CuSO4 FeSO4 + Cu

after 15 – 20 minutes
* 3) Reactivity series of metals :-
The arranging of metals in the decreasing order of their
reactivity is called reactivity series of metals.
K - Potassium Most reactive
Na - Sodium
Ca - Calcium
Mg - Magnesium
Al - Aluminium
Zn - Zinc Reactivity decreases
Fe - Iron
Pb - Lead
H - Hydrogen
Cu - Copper
Hg - Mercury
Ag - Silver
Au - Gold Least reactive
 * 4) How do metals an non metals react ?
Metals :- lose electrons and become positive ions. So they are
called electropositive elements.
Eg :- The atomic number of sodium is 11, its electronic configuration is
2,8,1, it has 1 valence electron. It loses 1 electron and forms a sodium
ion Na +
Na Na + + 1 e-
AN = 11
EC = 2,8,1 2,8
Mg Mg 2+ + 2 e-
AN = 12
EC = 2,8,2 2,8
Non metals :- gain electrons and become negative ions. So they
are called electro negative elements.
Eg:- The atomic number of chlorine is 17, its electronic configuration is
2,8,7, it has 7 valence. It gains 1 electron and forms a chloride ion Cl -
Cl + 1 e- Cl -
AN = 17
EC = 2,8,7 2,8,8
O + 2e- O 2-
AN = 8
EC = 2,6 2,8
* 5a) Formation of sodium chloride molecule – NaCl

xx
+
xx
-
Na . +
x
Cl
xx
x
x Na . x x xx
x
Cl NaCl

AN = 11 AN = 17
EC = 2,8,1 EC = 2,8,7
The atomic number of Na is 11, its electronic configuration is
2,8,1, it has 1 valence electron, it loses 1 electron to form Na + ion.
The atomic number of Cl is 17, its electronic configuration is 2,8,7,
it has 7 valence electrons, it gains 1 electron to form Cl - ion. Then
the attraction between the Na + ion and Cl - ion results in the
formation of sodium chloride molecule – NaCl.
* b) Formation of Magnesium chloride molecule – MgCl2
Mg Mg 2+ + 2e -
AN = 12
EC = 2,8,2 2,8
Cl + 1e - Cl -
AN = 17
EC = 2,8,7 2,8,8
xx xx
-
x
Cl xx . Cl
x x

Mg .
2+ x
xx
. +
x
xx
x
Mg xx
xx
- MgCl2
Cl
xx
x . Cl
x
xx
x
x

The AN of Mg is 12, its EC is 2,8,2, it has 2 valence electrons, it loses 2

electrons to form Mg 2+ . The AN of Cl is 17, its EC is 2,8,7, it has 7 valence
electrons, it gains 1 electron to form Cl -. Then the attraction between Mg 2+ ion
and 2 Cl - ions results in the formation of Magnesium chloride molecule – MgCl2 .
* 6) Ionic compounds (Electrovalent compounds) :-
Ionic compounds are compounds formed by the transfer of electrons from a
metal to a non metal.
Properties of ionic compounds :-
i) They are formed by the transfer of electrons and are made up of
ions.
i) They are crystalline solids.
ii) They have high melting points and boiling points.
iii) They are soluble in water but insoluble in organic solvents (like
petrol, kerosene etc.)
iv) They conduct electricity in molten state or in solution.
 * 7a) Occurence of metals :-
Some metals like gold, silver, platinum etc are found in the free state in the
earth’s crust because they are least reactive. Most metals are found as oxides,
carbonates, sulphides, halides etc.
Minerals :- are elements or compounds which occur naturally inside
the earth’s crust.
Ore :- is a mineral from which metals can be extracted profitably.
Gangue :- is the impurities present in the ore like rock particles,
sand particles, clay particles etc.
b) Extraction of metals from their ores :-
Metals are extracted from their ores in three main steps. They are :-
i) Concentration of the ore (Enrichment of the ore).
ii) Reduction to the metal.
iii) Refining (Purification of the metal).
Concentration of the ore :- is the removal of gangue (impurities) from the
ore by different methods.
* 8) Steps involved in the extraction of metals from their ores :-
Ore

Metals of Metals of Metals of

high reactivity medium reactivity low reactivity

Electrolysis of
molten ore Carbonate ore Sulphide ore Sulphide ore

Pure metal Calcination Roasting Roasting

Oxide of metal Metal

Reduction to metal Refining

Refining
* i) Extraction of metals low in the activity series :-
Metals which are low in the activity series can be reduced to the
metals by heating in the presence of oxygen (Roasting).
Eg :- Mercury is obtained from its ore Cinnabar (HgS) by heating
in the presence of oxygen. When it is heated in the presence of
oxygen it is first converted into mercuric oxide (HgO) and on further
heating it is reduced to mercury.
2HgS + 3O2 2HgO + 2O2
heat
2HgO heat 2Hg + O2

Copper is obtained from its sulphide ore (CuS) by heating in

the presence of oxygen.
2CuS + 3O2 heat 2Cu2O + 2SO2
2Cu2O + Cu2S heat 6Cu + SO2
 * ii) Extraction of metals in the middle of the activity
series :-
Metals in the middle of the activity series like Zn, Fe, Pb, are found as oxide,
sulphide or carbonate ores.
It is easier to obtain metals from their oxides than from their sulphides or
carbonates. So non oxide ores are converted into oxide form before reduction.
Non oxide ores can be converted into oxide form by roasting or calcination.
Roasting :- is heating of an ore in the presence of oxygen. It is used to convert
suphide ores into oxide form.
heat
Eg :- 2 ZnS + 3O2 2 ZnO + 2SO2
Calcination :- is heating of an ore in the absence of oxygen. It is used to convert
sulphide ores into oxide form.
heat
Eg :- ZnCO3 ZnO + CO2
The oxide ore is then reduced to the metal by heating with a reducing agent.
The most common reducing agent is coke (carbon).
heat
Eg :- ZnO + C Zn + CO
* Thermit reactions :-
Sometimes reactive metals like Na, Ca, Al etc. are used as
reducing agents to obtain metals from their oxides.
Eg :- 3MnO2 + 4Al Mn + 3Al2O3 + Heat
(Manganese (Manganese)
dioxide)
The reaction between metal oxides and aluminium is highly
exothermic and the metals are obtained in molten state. Such
reactions are called thermit reactions.
The reaction between iron oxide and aluminium produces molten
iron. This reaction is used to join rail tracks, broken machine parts
etc.
Fe2O3 + 2Al Al2O3 + 2Fe + Heat
GENERAL
* iii) Extraction of metals at the top of the activity series :-
Metals at the top of the activity series like K, Na, Ca, Al etc. cannot be
obtained from their ores by simple heating or by heating with reducing agents.
They are obtained by electrolytic reduction of their molten chlorides.
Eg :- When electric current is passed through molten sodium chloride, sodium
metal is deposited at the cathode and chlorine gas is deposited at the anode.
At cathode :- Na + + e - Na (Sodium metal)
At anode :- 2Cl - Cl2 + 2e - (Chlorine gas)
 * 9) Refining of metals :-
The removal of impurities from the metal to obtain the pure metal is called
refining of metals. The most common method for refining of metals is electrolytic
refining.
In this method a block of the impure metal is made the anode and a thin sheet
of the pure metal is made the cathode. The electrolyte is a salt solution of the
metal to be purified.
Eg :- In the electrolytic refining of copper, a block of impure copper is made the
anode and a thin sheet of pure copper is made the cathode. The electrolyte is
acidified copper sulphate solution. When electric current is passed through the
electrolyte, pure copper from the anode is deposited at the cathode and the
impurities settle down as anode mud.
 * 10a) Corrosion :-
Corrosion is the damage caused to metals due to the reaction of metals with oxygen,
moisture, carbon dioxide etc.
Eg :- Formation of brown coating of rust over iron.
Formation of green coating of basic copper carbonate over copper.
Formation of black coating of silver sulphide over silver.
To show that air and moisture are necessary for the rusting of iron :-
Take three test tubes marked 1,2,3 and put iron nails in each of them. Put some anhydrous
calcium chloride in test tube 1 to absorb moisture. Pour some boiled distilled water in test tube 2 and
pour some oil over it to prevent air into the test tube. Pour some water in test tube 3. Cork the test tubes
and leave them for a few days. The nails in test tube 1 does not get rusted because it had only air and
no water. The nails in test tube 2 does not rust because it had only water and no air. The nails in test
tube 3 gets rusted because it had air and water.
 * b) Prevention of corrosion :-
Corrosion of metals can be prevented by :-
i) Applying oil or grease.
ii) Applying paint.
iii) By galvanisation. (Coating with zinc)
iv) By tinning. (Coating with tin)
v) By electroplating. (Coating a less reactive metal like chromium)
vi) By alloying. (Making alloys)
c) Alloy :-
An alloy is a homogeneous mixture of a metal with other metals or non metal.
Eg :- Steel – iron, carbon
Stainless steel – iron, carbon, cobalt, nickel
Brass – copper, zinc
Bronze – copper, tin
Solder – Lead, tin (used for welding electrical wires together)
If one of the metals in an alloy is mercury, it is called an amalgam.