Chemical Properties of Metals and Nonmetals

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chemical propertis of metal and non-metals

Difference between the Chemical Properties of Metals and Nonmetals

 

Chemical properties of Metals

The important chemical properties of metals are:

  1. The reaction of Metals with oxygen: Metals react with oxygen to form metal oxides. Metals oxides are basic in nature.
  • The density of metals is usually high.
  • Metals form an alloy with other metals or non-metals.
  • Some metals react with air and corrode. For e.g. Iron.
  • Metals like sodium and potassium are stored in kerosene oil as they react with air in seconds. They are highly reactive metals.

 

            Metal + oxygen ─────> Metal oxide

             2Mg + O2 ─────> 2MgO

            4Al + 3O2 ─────> 2Al2O3

 

   Amphoteric oxide: Those metal oxides which show basically as well as acidic behavior are known as amphoteric oxides.

            Ex: Al2O3,  ZnO

chemical propertis of metal and non-metals

  1. The reaction of metals with water: Metals produce metal oxide and hydrogen gas while reacting with water. All metals do not react with water. However, highly reactive metals like sodium and potassium react with water violently and an exothermic reaction takes place where the hydrogen immediately catches fire.
  • Aluminum (Al), zinc (Zn), and iron (Fe) do not react with either cold water or hot water. Metals like lead, silver, silver, and gold do not react with water or even steam.

 

            Metal + water ─────> metal hydroxide + Hydrogen

                 2K + 2H2O ─────> 2KOH + H2 + Heat

 

          Metal + Steam ─────> Metal oxide + Hydrogen

              Mg + H2O ─────> MgO + H2

 

  1. The reaction of metals with dilute acid: Metals react with water to form metal salt and hydrogen. Metals usually displace hydrogen from dilute acids. Only the less reactive metals like copper, silver, and gold do not displace hydrogen from dilute acids.

      Metal + Dilute acid ─────> Metal salt + Hydrogen

      Mg + 2HCl ─────> MgCl2 + H2

      Zn + 2HCl ─────> ZnCl2 + H2

       Cu + HCl ─────> No reaction

  1. Metals react with Salt solutions: A more reactive metal displaces a less reactive metal from its salt solution.

        CuSO4 + Zn ─────> ZnSO4 + Cu

 

  1. Metals react with Chlorine: Metals react with chlorine to form ionic chlorides.

         Ca + Cl2 ─────> CaCl2

 

  1. Metals react with Hydrogen: Most of the metals do not combine with hydrogen. Only a few reactive metals like potassium, calcium, and magnesium react with hydrogen to form metal hydrides.

                Ca + H2 ─────> CaH2

The chemical reaction of Non-Metals

  1. Non-metals react with oxygen to form acidic or neutral oxides.

         S + O 2 ─────> SO2

       2H2 + O2 ─────> 2H2O

  1. Non-metals do not react with steam or water to evolve hydrogen gas.
  2. Non-metal do not react with dilute acid.
  3. A more reactive non-metal displaces a less reactive non-metal from its solution of salt.

         2NaBr + Cl2 ─────> 2NaCl + Br2

  1. Non-metals react with chlorine to form covalent chlorides which are non-electrolytes.

          H2 + Cl2 ─────> 2HCl

  1. Non-metals react with hydrogen to form covalent hydrides.

           N2 + 3H2 ─────> 2NH3

 

The Reactivity series of metals: The arrangement of metals in a vertical column in the order of decreasing reactivities is called the reactivity series of metals. Reactivity series of metals is also called activity series of metals.

chemical property of metals or non-metals

 

  I hope you like this article “Chemical Properties of Metals and Nonmetals for class 8 and 10″.

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