Metals and Non-metals

Lesson

Part 1 — how metals and non-metals differ in look and feel, how metals react with oxygen, water, acids and salt solutions, and how we rank them in the reactivity series.

In this lesson you will

Compare metals and non-metals by their physical properties, including the exceptions
Write equations for reactions of metals with oxygen, water, dilute acids and salt solutions
Identify amphoteric oxides and explain why some metals react only with steam
Arrange metals in order of reactivity from displacement evidence

\ce{2Na(s) + 2H2O(l) -> 2NaOH(aq) + H2(g)}

This reaction is why sodium is never kept in the open.

Concept

Metals and non-metals at a glance

Most elements are metals. Metals are usually lustrous, hard, malleable, ductile, sonorous and good conductors. Non-metals usually lack these properties.

Table comparing metals and non-metals for state, lustre, malleability, conductivity and sonority, with the main exceptions
Property	Metals	Non-metals
State at room temperature	Solids (mercury is liquid)	Solids or gases (bromine is liquid)
Lustre	Shiny	Dull (iodine is lustrous)
Malleable and ductile	Yes	No: solids are brittle
Heat and electricity	Good conductors	Poor conductors (graphite conducts)
Sound when struck	Sonorous (ring)	Not sonorous

Diagram

Malleable and ductile

Silver varq on sweets and aluminium foil show malleability; copper and aluminium wires show ductility.

Malleable: can be beaten into thin sheets. Ductile: can be drawn into thin wires. Gold and silver are the most malleable metals; a single gram of gold can be drawn into a wire about 2 km long.

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