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Metals
Physical Properties
Physical Properties of Nonmetals
Non-Metals
Nonmetals are those elements which do not exhibit the properties of metals.
Examples: Carbon, Boron etc.
● Alkali metals (Li, Na, K, etc) react vigorously with water and oxygen or air.
● Mg reacts with hot water.
● Al, Fe, and Zn react with steam.
● Cu, Ag, Pt, Au do not react with water or dilute acids.
Chemical Properties
Displacement Reactions
A more reactive element displaces a less reactive element from its compound or solution.
i) Zn(s) + CuSO (aq) → ZnSO (aq) + Cu(s)
4 4
● Mg, Al, Zn, Pb react slowly with air and form a protective layer that prevents corrosion.
2M g(s) + O (g) → 2M gO(s) (Mg burns with a white dazzling light)
2
Some metallic oxides get dissolved in water and form alkalis. Their aqueous solution turns red
litmus blue.
Amphoteric oxides are metal oxides which react with both acids as well as bases to form salt
and water.
For example - Al O , ZnO, P bO, SnO
2 3
Reactivity Series
The below table illustrates the reactivity of metals from high order to low order.
Symbol Element
K Potassium ( Highly Active Metal)
Ba Barium
Ca Calcium
Na Sodium
Mg Magnesium
Al Aluminium
Zn Zinc
Fe Iron
Ni Nickel
Sn Tin
Pb Lead
H Hydrogen
Cu Copper
Hg Mercury
Ag Silver
Au Gold
Pt Platinum
2Al + 3H O(steam) → Al O + 3H
2 2 3 2
Metals which are reactive than hydrogen displace hydrogen from its dilute acids
and produce respective metal salts and hydrogen gas.
Example: M etal + dilute acid → Salt + H ydrogen gas
2N a(s) + 2H Cl(dilute) → 2N aCl(aq) + H2 (g)
Metals which are less reactive than hydrogen cannot displace hydrogen from its acids and
hence no reaction takes place.
High reactive metal displaces the low reactive metal from its salt solution.