Subject: Science
Non- metals are the bad conductor of heat and electricity. They are found mostly in the gaseous form. Some of the examples of non- metals are elements like hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorous, chlorine etc. They are electronegative in nature. Non- metals are found in earth's crust and atmosphere. The human body also contains non- metals. The hardest and most precious non- metal is a diamond. Some of the properties of non- metals are given below,
Physical properties
Chemical Properties
S.N | Properties | Metals | Non-metals |
1 | State | All, except mercury, metals are solid at ordinary temperature. | Non-metals are found in all three states at ordinary temperature. |
2 | Metallic lusture | They possess metallic luster when they are freshly cut. Except lithium. | Non-metals except Iodine and graphite, do not possess any metallic luster. |
3 | Hardness | They are generally hard because the molecules are closely packed in them. | They are generally soft in nature except diamond. |
4 | Breakability | They are hardly broken into pieces. | They can be easily broken. |
5 | Melting and boiling point | The melting and boiling points of metals are generally high. | They have usually low melting and boiling points. |
6 | Metallic clink | Metals, when struck with a hammer emit a peculiar sound called metallic clink. | They do not emit any metallic sound. |
7 | Malleability | They can be beaten into thin plate except antimony, arsenic, and bismuth. Such property is known as malleability. | They are non-malleable. |
8 | Ductility | Wire can be made from metals. Such property is known as ductility. | They are non-ductile. |
9 | Conductivity | They are generally good conductors of heat and electricity. | They are poor conductors of heat and electricity except graphite. |
10 | Specific gravity | They have high specific gravity except Li, Na, K, Ca etc. | They have low specific gravity except diamond. |
11 | Electrochemical behavior | They form cations or electropositive ions by the loss of electrons. | They form anions or electronegative ions by the gain of electrons. |
12 | Alloy formation | Metals have the dissolving power to the other metals to form a homogenous mixture. | They generally do not form alloys. |
13 | Reaction with oxygen | Metals forms basic oxides. | Non-metals form an acidic oxide. |
14 | Reaction with hydrogen | Metals rarely combines with hydrogen to form unstable hydrides. | Non-metals usually combine with hydrogen to give stable hydrides. |
15 | Reaction with acids | Most of the metals reacts with dilute acids to form salts and hydrogen. | Usually non-metals do not form salts. |
The elements that show the properties of both metals and non-metals are called metalloids. Examples of metalloids are arsenic, antimony and germanium.
Metalloids possess the following characteristics:
An alloy is defined as a homogeneous mixture of two or more metals and non-metals. For example, brass is an alloy of copper and zinc.
Alloys have the following properties:
What is an alloy? Write with example.
An alloy is defined as a homogeneous mixture of two or more metals and non-metals. For example, brass is an alloy of copper and zinc.
Properties of alloy are:
The elements that show the properties of both metals and non-metals are called metalloids. Examples of metalloids are arsenic and germanium.
© 2019-20 Kullabs. All Rights Reserved.