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Metals vs Non-Metals: Key Differences

Metals and non-metals differ in their physical properties. Metals are typically hard, shiny, malleable, and good conductors of heat and electricity, while non-metals lack these properties. Examples of metals include aluminum, copper, iron, tin, gold, and silver. Non-metals such as carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and silicon are generally dull, brittle insulators. Most metals are solid at room temperature, with the exception of mercury which is liquid. Metals have high densities and melting points compared to non-metals. Common metal alloys include steel, brass, and bronze.

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317 views2 pages

Metals vs Non-Metals: Key Differences

Metals and non-metals differ in their physical properties. Metals are typically hard, shiny, malleable, and good conductors of heat and electricity, while non-metals lack these properties. Examples of metals include aluminum, copper, iron, tin, gold, and silver. Non-metals such as carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and silicon are generally dull, brittle insulators. Most metals are solid at room temperature, with the exception of mercury which is liquid. Metals have high densities and melting points compared to non-metals. Common metal alloys include steel, brass, and bronze.

Uploaded by

Lakshminarayana
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

METALS & NON METALS

A Metal is solid material which is typically hard, shiny, malleable, fusible,


and ductile, with good electrical and thermal.
Nonmetal is a substance that does not exhibit properties of metals such as
hardness, luster, malleability, ductility and the ability to conduct electricity.

Elements which have positive electric charge typically with a shiny surface
and a good conductor of heat is Metal. Different metals have different properties
and uses.

Examples of metals are Aluminum, Copper, Iron, Tin, Gold, Silver,


Titanium, Zink, calcium, potassium, magnesium and etc.

Examples of Non-Metals are Carbon, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Argon, Fluorine,


Chlorine, silicon, hydrogen, helium and etc.
Most of the metals are solid at room temperature, but this does not have to
be the case. Mercury is liquid
There are total 118 elements found till today. Out of them, 92 elements are
naturally found and 26 elements are artificially discovered. They have their own
properties. Depending upon their properties, they are classified as metals, non-
metals and metalloids. Among them, metals are widely used. Those elements
which have positive electric charge typically with a shiny surface and a good
conductor of heat and electricity are known as metals. Metals are malleable and
ductile. Generally, metals have high boiling points.

Physical Properties of Metals


 lustrous (shiny)
 Good conductors of heat and electricity.
 High melting point.
 High density (heavy for their size)
 Malleable (can be hammered)
 Ductile (can be drawn into wires)
 Usually solid at room temperature (an exception is mercury)
 Opaque as a thin sheet (can't see through metals)
Properties of metals and non metals

Property Metals Non-metals


Appearance Shiny : Dull
Strength Strong : Weak
Malleable (they : Brittle (they
Malleable or
bend without break or shatter
brittle
breaking) when hammered)
Conduction of : Poor (they are
Good
heat insulators)
: Poor (they are
Conduction of
Good insulators, apart
electricity
from graphite)
State at room Solid (except : About half are solids & about half are gases
temperature mercury, which : and one (bromine) is a liquid
is a liquid)
Density High (they feel heavy : Low (they feel light for their size)
for their size)

Alloys of Metals

Many things that are made of metals may, in fact, be made of mixtures of at
least one metal with either other metals, or with non-metals. These mixtures are
called alloys. Some common alloys are:

 Steel (iron and carbon) (Carbon is a non-metal)


 Brass (copper and zinc)
 Bronze (copper and tin)
 Duralumin (aluminum and copper)
 Gunmetal (copper, tin, and zinc)
People first began making things from metal over 9000 years ago, when they
discovered how to get copper from its ore. They then learned how to make a harder
alloy, bronze, by adding tin to the copper. About 3000 years ago, they discovered
iron. By adding small amounts of carbon to iron, they found that they could make a
particularly useful alloy – steel.

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