While studying chemistry, you’ll come across the word metal and non-metal. What are these substances, and what role do they play in our everyday life. Metals are substances with high electrical and thermal conductivity, malleability, ductility, and reflectivity of light. Out of the chemical elements present in the earth’s atmosphere, almost all chemical elements are metals. The kind of metals found in abundance in the earth’s crust is aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium. While most metals are sound in their ore state, a few such as copper, gold, platinum, and silver occurred in their free state. In this guide, you’ll read through the main physical and chemical properties of a metal.
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Physical and Chemical Properties of a Non-metal
Physics Properties of Metal
While recognizing the types of elements, we associate metals with hard, shiny objects. This association with a physical trait is referred to as the physical properties of the metal. These physical properties of metal make them useful for any purpose. Wg:- Copper is a metal used for making electric wires, gold for making jewelry, and stainless steel for making pots and pans. Here are some of the key physical properties associated with metals.
- Shiny (lustrous) in nature
E.g., Use of Gold due to its luster for making jewelry.
- Metals react with non-metals to form ionic bonds. E.g.:- NaCl
- Good conductor of electricity and heat
Being so, they can conduct electricity due to the presence of free moving electrons. E.g.:- Copper is made use of for wiring since it is a good conductor of electricity.
- High density and melting point due to strong metallic bonds
- Mouldable (Malleable), i.e., cannot be beaten into thin sheets.
- Ductile, i.e., can be used to make thin wires.
- At room temperature, it is in solid form except for mercury.
- Nit flexible and have tensile strength, i.e., cannot be stretched.
- Opaque
- Metals are sonorous, i.e., good conductors of sound.
- Metals tend to gain valence electrons.
- They have low electronegativity.
- 1 or 3 electrons are present in their outer shell
Chemical Properties of Metal
Having read the various physical properties of a metal, here are the chemical properties associated with it.
- Metals have high density.
- They are malleable and ductile.
- Metals tend to form an alloy with other metals or non-metals
- Some metals like Iron react with the air and corrode.
- Metals are good conductors of heat and electricity. Exception – Lead
- These are solid at room temperature except for Mercury.
- Metals produce metal oxide and hydrogen gas while reacting with water.
- Soluble metal oxides tend to dissolve in water and create metal hydroxide.
- Easily corrodible
- The tendency to lose electrons
- Form basic oxides
- Have low electronegativities
- Good reducing agents
- Metal displaces a less reactive metal in a metal salt solution.
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