Metals & Non Metals

Physical Properties of Metals

1. Physical state : All metals are solid at room

temperature except mercury which is liquid at
room temperature.
2. Metallic Lustre: In their pure state, metals are
characterized by shining surface. This property
is called metallic lustre. Most metals are gray or
white, Copper is reddish brown; and Gold is
yellow in colour.
3. Hardness:

Metals are generally hard but hardness varies from

metal to metal. Metals like Copper, Aluminum, and
Iron are hard and cannot be easily cut with a sharp
knife whereas metals like Sodium and Potassium
are soft enough to be cut easily with a knife.
The hardest metal is Chromium and the softest
metal is Cesium.
4. Malleability :
Metals can be beaten with the hammer in two thin
sheets, this property is called malleability. Gold,
Silver, Copper, Tin, Aluminium etc. are extremely
malleable but all the metals are not equally
malleable, due to this property metals can be
given different shapes.
5. Ductility :
The ability of metals to be drawn into thin wires is
called ductility. Copper, Gold, platinum, and silver
are especially ductile. Gold is the most ductile
metal. Because of their malleability and ductility
metals can be given different shapes according to
our needs and requirements.
6. Electrical Conduction :
Almost all metals are good conductors of
electricity, this is because metals usually less than
4 electrons in there valence shell and hence
posses free electrons which allows electricity and
heat to flow through them.
 IMPORTANT
Silver is the best conductor of electricity
followed by Copper and gold. all those silver is
the best conductor of electricity Copper and
gold are often used in electrical applications
because copper is less expensive than gold and
has higher corrosion resistance. other metals
with higher electrical conductivity are
aluminium, zinc Nickel iron and Platinum
aluminium cables are used in high transmission
lines.
Why do current conducting wires in our home
have a porting of a rubber-like material?
This is because the electrical wires that carry
electrical current in our houses are provided
with a non conducting coating of Polyvinyl
Chloride (PVC) or a rubber like material
otherwise the naked livewire can give an
electric shock on slightest touch.
7.Thermal Conductance: Metals are
also in general good conductors of
heat.

8. Melting&Boiling Point: Metals

generally have high melting and boiling
points because the constituent atoms
are closely packed and their exist
strong forces of attraction between
them. Tungsten has the highest
melting point (3695 K) however
Gallium(mp-302K) and
Cesium(mp-303K) have very low
melting points. These metals will melt
if kept on the palm of our hand.
Mercury metal has the lowest melting
point.
The best conductor of heat is silver, followed by copper.
Aluminium is also a good conductor of heat; that is why
cooking utensils and water boilers are generally made of
aluminium and copper. The metal container conducts the
heat from the burner to the food or water taken inside.
Lead is the poorest conductor of heat and electricity.
9. Density :
Metals are normally crystalline in nature and are
dense; as a result, density of metals is quite high.
However, Lithium (Li), Sodium (Na), Potassium (K)
have densities lesser than water.
10. Sonority:
Metals are sonorous. Most metals give a
deep and resonating ringing sound when
struck. The metals which produce such
sound on striking are said to be sonorous.
That is why, School bells and Church
gongs are made of metals and their alloys.
Physical Properties of Non-Metals
1. Physical state: Out of the 22 nonmetals. 10 nonmetals
are said. 11 are gases and only one, i.e., bromine is a
liquid

2. Brittleness: Solid nonmetals are brittle, i.e., they

break down or crack easily when hammered. For
example, Sulphur and Phosphorus are quite brittle
solids as they are easily broken down into pieces
when hammered. Diamond, an allotropic form of
carbon, is the hardest naturally occurring substance
on the earth but is very brittle and will shatter into
pieces if hammered
3. Malleability: Nonmetals are not
malleable, Le, they cannot be beaten.

4. Ductility: Nonmetals are not ductile, i.e.,

they cannot be drawn into thin wires. for
example, sulphur and phosphorus when
stretched break down into pieces.
5. Thermal and electrical conductance:
Nonmetals are bad conductors of heat and
electricity except graphite which is an
allotropic form of carbon.
As graphite is a good conductor of
electricity, it is used for making electrodes.

Nonmetals are bad conductors of heat and

electricity because they do not have free or
mobile electrons.
6. Density: As compared to metais.
nonmetals have low density For
example, sulphur has a density of
about 20 g cm³

7. Melting and boiling points: Metals

usually have low melting and boiling
points. For example, the melting points
of Sulphur and Phosphorus are 388
Kelvin, 317.4 Kelvin respectively. but,
diamond and graphite the two allotropic
forms of carbon a very high melting
points example Diamond has a very
high melting point of 3873 Kelvin and
graphite of 3773 Kelvin.