Physical Properties of Metals and Non-Metals

Physical Properties

Metals:

• Typically shiny and lustrous
• Good conductors of heat and electricity
• Malleable (can be shaped into thin sheets)
• Ductile (can be stretched into thin wires)
• Sonorous (produce a ringing sound when struck)
• High density
• Often have a high melting and boiling point

Non-Metals:

• Dull and non-lustrous
• Poor conductors of heat and electricity
• Brittle (break or shatter when bent or stretched)
• Non-sonorous (do not produce a ringing sound when struck)
• Low density
• Often have a low melting and boiling point

Chemical Properties

Metals:

• Tend to lose electrons to form positive ions (cations)
• React with acids to produce hydrogen gas
• React with oxygen to form oxides
• Often react with water to produce hydroxides

Non-Metals:

• Tend to gain electrons to form negative ions (anions)
• Do not react with acids to produce hydrogen gas
• React with oxygen to form oxides, but not as readily as metals
• Do not react with water to produce hydroxides

Examples

Metals:

• Alkali metals (e.g. sodium, potassium)
• Alkaline earth metals (e.g. magnesium, calcium)
• Transition metals (e.g. iron, copper)
• Noble metals (e.g. gold, silver)

Non-Metals:

• Noble gases (e.g. helium, neon)
• Halogens (e.g. chlorine, iodine)
• Carbon and its compounds (e.g. diamond, graphite)
• Nitrogen and its compounds (e.g. ammonia, nitric acid)

Note:

• Some elements, such as metalloids (e.g. silicon, germanium), exhibit properties of both metals and non-metals.

Physical Properties of Metals

• Metals are typically shiny and lustrous
• They are good conductors of heat and electricity
• Metals are malleable, meaning they can be shaped into thin sheets
• They are also ductile, meaning they can be stretched into thin wires
• Metals are sonorous, producing a ringing sound when struck
• They have high density and often have a high melting and boiling point

Physical Properties of Non-Metals

• Non-metals are dull and non-lustrous
• They are poor conductors of heat and electricity
• Non-metals are brittle, meaning they break or shatter when bent or stretched
• They are non-sonorous, not producing a ringing sound when struck
• Non-metals have low density and often have a low melting and boiling point

Chemical Properties of Metals

• Metals tend to lose electrons to form positive ions (cations)
• They react with acids to produce hydrogen gas
• Metals react with oxygen to form oxides
• They often react with water to produce hydroxides

Chemical Properties of Non-Metals

• Non-metals tend to gain electrons to form negative ions (anions)
• They do not react with acids to produce hydrogen gas
• Non-metals react with oxygen to form oxides, but not as readily as metals
• They do not react with water to produce hydroxides

Examples of Metals and Non-Metals

• Metals include alkali metals (e.g. sodium, potassium), alkaline earth metals (e.g. magnesium, calcium), transition metals (e.g. iron, copper), and noble metals (e.g. gold, silver)
• Non-metals include noble gases (e.g. helium, neon), halogens (e.g. chlorine, iodine), carbon and its compounds (e.g. diamond, graphite), and nitrogen and its compounds (e.g. ammonia, nitric acid)

Note

• Metalloids (e.g. silicon, germanium) exhibit properties of both metals and non-metals