Chapter 3 Metals and Non -metals

Elements are classified broadly into the following categories on the basis of
their properties:
a) Metals: Iron, Zinc, Copper, Aluminium etc.
b) Non-metals: Chlorine, Nitrogen, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Sulphur
c) Metalloids- Some elements show properties of both metals and non –
metals. They are called metalloids e.g. Silicon, Arsenic, Germanium .

Question :Differentiate between the physical properties of metals and non – metals:

S.No Property Metals Nonmetals

1. Physical State Metals are Non-metals
generally solids generally
at room exist as solids or
temperature. gases.
Exception- Exception-
mercury is a Bromine is a
liquid metal liquid non metal
2 Non-metals have
Metals generally low
have melting point
high melting and boiling point
Melting and point and boiling Exception-
boiling points Exception- diamond, an
Gallium and allotrope of
Caesium has low carbon has a
melting point very high melting
and boiling point.
3 Density Generally high. Generally low.
4 Neither malleable
Malleability and Malleable and
nor
Ductility ductile.
ductile.
5 Generally poor
conductors of
heat and
Electrical and Good conductors
electricity
thermal of heat
Exception-
conductivity and electricity.
graphite, an
allotrope of
carbon is a good
 conductor of
electricity.
6 Do not have
luster
They have
Lustre Exception- iodine
metallic lustre
is a lustrous non
-metal
7
Produce sound Does not
Sonorous
when struck. produce sound.
8 Solid non-metals
Generally hard are
Exception- generally soft
Sodium and .Exception
Hardness Potassium are diamond, an
soft metals and allotrope of
can be cut with a carbon is hardest
knife. natural
substance.

Note:

*Gold and silver are the most malleable metals.

* Gold is the most ductile metal

*Silver and copper are the best conductors of heat

* Lead and Mercury are poor conductors of heat

Question 2:
Define the terms
i)Malleability ii) Ductility
Ans. Malleability-Some metals can be beaten into thin sheets. This property is
called malleability.
Ductility-The ability of metals to be drawn into thin wires is called ductility
Question 3
Describe the activity with the help of a diagram to show that
metals are good conductors of heat (refer pg 38 for diagram)
Ans Experiment: To show that metals are good conductors of heat
Take an aluminium or copper wire.
Clamp this wire on a stand, as shown in Fig. 3.1.
Fix a pin to the free end of the wire using wax.
Heat the wire with a spirit lamp, candle or a burner near the place where it is
clamped.
Observation: Wax melts and iron pin gets detached from the wire. Metal wire does
not melt.
Conclusion : Metal is a good conductor of heat and metals have high melting
point.
 Question 4
Describe the activity with the help of a diagram to show that
metals are good conductors of electricity.( Refer Pg 39 for figure)
Experiment: Set up an electric circuit as shown in the figure,Place the metal to be
tested in the circuit between terminals A and B
Observation: Bulb glows when a metal wire is connected between terminals A and
B
Conclusion: Metals are good conductors of electricity.

Chemical Properties :

I. Reaction of Metals and non metals with Oxygen:

Metals Non metals

Metal+ Oxygen→ Metal oxide Non Metal+ Oxygen→ Non Metaloxide
(Basic oxide ) (Acidic oxide )
Metal oxides are basic in nature. Non metal oxides are acidic in nature.
Eg 2Mg+ O2→ 2MgO Eg S+ O2→ SO2
(Basic) (Acidic oxide)
MgO + H2O → Mg(OH)2 SO2+ H2O → H2SO3
(Red litmus to blue) (Sulphurous acid)
(Blue litmus to red)

.
Examples :1.Reaction between sodium and oxygen
4Na + O2 → 2Na2O
(Sodium oxide)

2.Reaction between potassium

and oxygen

4K + O2 → 2K2O
(Potassium oxide
3. Magnesium reacts with oxygen to form magnesium oxide.
2Mg + O2 → 2MgO

4.Aluminium metal reacts with oxygen to form Aluminium oxide.

4Al + 3O2 → 2Al2O3

5. Copper when heated in air, combines with oxygen to form black

copper(II) oxide.

2Cu + O2 → 2CuO
vi) Silver and gold does not react with oxygen even at high temperatures.
BQ Question What are amphoteric oxides? Give examples. Support your
answer with chemical equations.
Amphoteric oxide: Some metal oxides show both acidic as well as basic
behavior. They react with both acids as well as bases to produce salt and
water. Such metal oxides are called amphoteric oxides. Eg Aluminium oxide,
Zinc oxide
Example 1 -Basic nature: Al2O3 + 6HCl→2 AlCl3 + 3H2O
(Basic oxide) (Acid)

Acidic nature: Al2O3 + 2NaOH→2 NaAlO2 + 3H2O

(Acidic oxide) (Base) (Sodium aluminate)
Example 2- Basic nature: ZnO + 2HCl→ ZnCl2 + H2O
(Basic oxide) (Acid)

Acidic nature: ZnO + 2NaOH→Na2ZnO2 + H2O

(Acidic oxide) (Base) (Sodium Zincate)
Question: Name any two metal oxides which are alkalis. Write the chemical
equation
Some metal oxides dissolve in water to form alkalis. Eg Sodium oxide and
potassium oxide dissolve in water to form alkalis.
Na2O + H2O →2NaOH
K2O + H2O →2KOH
Give reason for the following
a)Potassium and sodium are immersed in kerosene oil.
Metals such as potassium and sodium react so vigorously that they
catch fire if kept in the open. Hence, to protect them and to prevent
accidental fires, they are kept immersed in kerosene oil
b)Aluminium is a highly reactive metal, yet it is used to make utensils for
cooking.
Aluminium forms a protective oxide layer which prevents the metal
from further oxidation
Question Write a short note on anodizing

Anodising is a process of forming a thick oxide layer of aluminium. Aluminium

develops a thin oxide layer when exposed to air. This aluminium oxide coat
makes it resistant to further corrosion. The resistance can be improved further by
making the oxide layer thicker. During anodising, a clean aluminium article is
made the anode and is electrolysed with dilute sulphuric acid. The oxygen gas
evolved at the anode reacts with aluminium to make a thicker protective oxide
layer. This oxide layer can be dyed easily to give aluminium articles an attractive
finish.

II.Reaction of metals with water

Metal+ Water→ Metal oxide +Hydrogen
Metal Oxide+ Water→ metal hydroxide

Board Question Write the observations and chemical equations for the
following
A. Reaction of sodium and potassium with cold water.
B. Reaction of calcium with water.
C. Reaction of magnesium with water.
D. Reaction of aluminum and iron with steam.
Answer
i) Reaction of sodium and potassium with cold water.
• sodium and potassium react vigorously with cold water
• .The reaction is so violent and exothermic
• evolved hydrogen immediately catches fire.
2K(s) + 2H2O(l) → 2KOH (aq) + H2 (g) + Heat
2Na(s) + 2H2O (l) → 2NaOH (aq)+ H2 (g)+ Heat
b) Reaction of calcium with water.

• Calcium reacts with cold water less violently to form calcium hydroxide
along with hydrogen gas.
• The heat is not sufficient for hydrogen to catch fire.
• Calcium starts floating because the bubbles of hydrogen gas formed stick
to the surface of the metal.
Ca (s)+ 2H2O (l) → Ca(OH)2 (aq)+ H2 (g)
c) Reaction of magnesium with water.
Magnesium metal reacts with hot water slowly and forms magnesium
hydroxide and hydrogen gas.
Magnesium starts floating because the bubbles of hydrogen gas formed
stick to the surface of the metal.
Mg (s) + 2H2O (l) → Mg(OH)2 (aq) + H2(g)

d) Reaction of aluminum and iron with steam.

Metals such as aluminium, zinc and iron react with steam to form metal
oxides and hydrogen.
2Al (s) + 3H2O (g)→ Al2O3 (s)+ 3H2 (g)
(Aluminium oxide)
3Fe(s)+ 4H2O (g)→ Fe3O4 (s)+ 4H2 (g)
(Iron II,III) oxide
Zn (s) + H2O (g) → ZnO (s)+ H2 (g)
(Zinc oxide)
NOTE FeO + Fe2O3= Fe3O4
iron(II)oxide +Iron (III) oxide= Iron(II,III) oxide
Question
Name the Metals which do not react with water at all.
Lead, copper, silver and gold

III.Reactions of Metals with Acids

Metals react with acids to form salt and hydrogen gas.
Metal+ Dilute acid → Salt +Hydrogen gas
2Al + 3H2SO4 → Al2 (SO4)3 + 3H2
Question
Write the chemical equations for the following
A. Reaction of magnesium with dilute HCl.
B. Reaction of aluminium with dilute HCl.
C. Reaction of zinc with dilute HCl.
D. Reaction of iron with dilute HCl
A. Reaction of magnesium with dilute HCl.
Mg react with dilute hydrochloric acid to give magnesium chloride and
hydrogen gas.
Mg + 2HCl → MgCl2 + H2
B. Reaction of aluminium with dilute HCl.
Al react with dilute hydrochloric acid to give aluminium chloride and hydrogen
gas.
2Al + 6HCl → 2AlCl3 + 3H2

C. Reaction of zinc with dilute HCl.

Zn react with dilute hydrochloric acid to give zinc chloride and hydrogen
gas
Zn + 2HCl → ZnCl2 + H2
D. Reaction of iron with dilute HCl
Fe react with dilute hydrochloric acid to give Iron(II) chloride and hydrogen
gas
Fe + 2HCl → FeCl2 + H2
Question Why hydrogen gas is not evolved when a metal reacts with
nitric acid?
Hydrogen is not evolved when metals react with nitric acid because
nitric acid is a strong oxidizing agent. So, it oxidises the hydrogen
produced to water and itself gets reduced to any of the nitrogen
oxides( N2O, NO , NO2).
Question Name two metals that react with dilute nitric acid to evolve
hydrogen gas.
 Magnesium and manganese
iv) Reactions of Metals with solutions of other metal Salts:
Displacement reaction:
In this reaction a more reactive metal displace the less reactive metal from
compounds in solution or molten form.
Metal A+ Salt Solution B→ Salt solution of A + Metal B

Activity series of metals: It is the arrangement of metals in a vertical column

in order of their decreasing reactivity. The most reactive metal is placed on the
top and least reactive metal is at the bottom of the activity series.
Examples:
i) Reaction between iron and copper sulphate solution
Fe + CuSO4 → FeSO4 + Cu
(Blue) (Green) (Brown deposit)
2) Reaction between Aluminium and copper sulphate solution
2Al + 3CuSO4 → Al2(SO4 )3 + 3Cu
(Blue) (Colourless) (Brown deposit)

3) Reaction between Zinc and copper sulphate solution

Zn+ CuSO4 → ZnSO4 + Cu
(Blue) (Colourless) (Brown deposit)
Question: write a short note on aqua regia.
Aqua regia, (Latin for ‘royal water’) is a freshly prepared mixture of concentrated
hydrochloric acid and concentrated nitric acid in the ratio of 3:1. It can dissolve
gold, even though neither of these acids can do so alone. Aqua regia is a highly
corrosive, fuming liquid. It is one of the few reagents that is able to dissolve gold
and platinum.
NCERT Questions
1.Why is sodium kept immersed in kerosene oil?
Answer. Sodium is a very reactive metal and combines explosively with air(oxygen) at room
temperature. It also reacts violently with cold water. Hence, it catches fire if kept in open. Therefore,
to prevent accidental fires and accidents, sodium is stored immersed in kerosene oil.
2. 2.Write equations for the reactions of
(i) iron with steam.
(ii) calcium and potassium with water.
Answer.
(i) 3Fe(s) + 4H2O(l)—–> Fe3O4(s) + 4H2(g)
(ii) Ca(s) + 2H2O(l)—–> Ca(OH)2(aq) + H2(g) + Heat
iii) 2K(s) + 2H2O (l)—–> 2KOH(aq) + H2(g) + Heat

3. . Samples of four metals A, B, C and D were taken and added to the following solutions
one by one. The results obtained have been tabulated as follows.
From the above equations, conclude:
(i) B is the most reactive metal.
(ii)If B is added to a solution of copper (II) sulphate, then it would displace copper.
B + CuSO4 —-> BSO4+ Cu
(iii) The arrangement of the metals in the order of decreasing reactivity is: B > A > C > D

4.Which gas is produced when dilute hydrochloric acid is added to a reactive metal? Write
the chemical reaction when iron reacts with dilute H 2SO4.
Answer. When dilute hydrochloric acid is added to a reactive metal, hydrogen gas is
evolved.
The reaction between iron and H2S04 is:
Fe(s) + H2SO4(dil.)—-> FeSO4(aq) + H2(g)

5.What would you observe when zinc is added to a solution of iron(II) sulphate? Write the
When zinc is added to the solution of iron sulphate, the green color of iron sulphate
solution changes to colourless solution.zinc is more reactive than iron, therefore it
displaces iron from its iron sulphate solution and a grey deposit of an iron and a
colourless solution of zinc sulphate is formed.
Zn(s) + FeSO4(aq)—-> ZnSO4(aq) + Fe(s)

(Green) (colourless)

Skill Book Questions

3. Tabulate the results (product and colour change) obtained in the
reaction between the following
 Metal ZnSO4 MgSO4 CuSO4 FeSO4 AgNO3
(colourless) (colourless) (Blue) (green) (colourless)
Zn x x ZnSO4+Cu ZnSO4+ Fe Zn(NO3)2+
(colourless) (colourless)
Ag
(colourless)
Fe x x FeSO4+ Cu x Fe(NO3)2+
(Green) Ag
(green)
Cu x x x x Cu(NO3)2+
Ag
(Blue)
Mg MgSO4+ Zn x MgSO4+ Cu MgSO4+ Fe Mg(NO3)2+
(colourless) (colourless) (colourless) Ag
(colourless)

2, We can safely store copper sulphate solution in a silver vessel, justify this
statement.
Ag + CuSO4-→ No displacement reaction
Silver is less reactive than copper