IGCSE Chemistry CIE - Metals and Non-metals

IGCSE Chemistry CIE - Metals

• Metals are one of two broad types of elements, the other being nonmetals.
• Metalloids or semimetals display properties of both types.
• The metallic character diminishes moving left to right across the Periodic Table.
• Metals are good conductors of heat and electricity.
• Metals are malleable (can be hammered into shapes) and ductile (can be drawn into wires).
• Metals tend to be lustrous (shiny).
• Metals have high densities and high melting points.
• Metals typically form positive ions by losing electrons.
• Metals form basic oxides.

IGCSE Chemistry CIE - Non-metals

• Non-metals are the other major type of element.
• Non-metals do not conduct heat and electricity well.
• Non-metals are brittle when solid and break easily.
• Non-metals are often dull and non-reflective.
• Non-metals tend to have low density and low melting points; many are gases at room temperature.
• Non-metals typically form negative ions by gaining electrons (except hydrogen).
• Non-metals form acidic oxides.

IGCSE Chemistry CIE - Reactivity Series

• The reactivity series is a list of metals in order of their reactivity, based on how they react with water, acids, and oxygen.
• The reactivity series can be used to predict if one metal will displace another metal from a solution of its salt.
• More reactive metals will displace less reactive metals from their compounds.

IGCSE Chemistry CIE - Extraction of Metals

• The Earth's crust contains metals and metal compounds (ores).
• Useful metals are chemically combined in ores (e.g. iron oxide, aluminium oxide).
• Extraction of metals depends on their position in the reactivity series.
• Metals above carbon on the reactivity series are extracted through electrolysis.
• Metals below carbon on the reactivity series are extracted by heating with carbon.
• Iron is extracted from hematite (iron oxide) using a blast furnace—a process involving reactions with carbon and limestone.
• Aluminium is extracted from bauxite (aluminium oxide) by electrolysis.

IGCSE Chemistry CIE - Uses of Metals

• Aluminium: Aeroplane bodies, overhead power cables, saucepans, food cans, window frames. (High strength-to-weight ratio, good conductor of electricity, low density, corrosion resistant).
• Copper: Electrical wires, water pipes. (Good conductor of electricity, malleable, non-toxic, unreactive with water, easy to work with and bend).

IGCSE Chemistry CIE - Alloys

• Alloys are mixtures of two or more metals (or a metal and a nonmetal).
• Alloys often have improved properties compared to pure metals (e.g., increased strength, hardness, resistance to corrosion).
• Examples of alloys include brass (copper and zinc), stainless steel (iron, chromium, nickel, carbon), and alloys of iron with tungsten.
• The regular arrangement of atoms in a metal lattice is distorted in alloys, which hinders the movement of layers and thus is harder than pure metal.

IGCSE Chemistry CIE - Corrosion (Rusting of Iron)

• Rust is a chemical reaction between iron, water and oxygen to form the compound hydrated iron(III) oxide.
• To rust, oxygen and water must be present.
• Rust prevention involves barrier methods (e.g., greases, paints, plastics, oil) to prevent contact between iron and water or oxygen.
• Sacrificial protection involves attaching a more reactive metal to a less reactive metal, so the more reactive metal corrodes instead of the less reactive one. (e.g., zinc bars on steel ships).

Explore the fundamental differences between metals and non-metals in this informative quiz. Understand key properties such as conductivity, malleability, and ion formation. This quiz is tailored for IGCSE Chemistry CIE students.