Question

Differentiate between metal and non-metal on the basis of their chemical properties.

Answer 1

Metal	Non-metal
Metals are electropositive.	Non-metals are electronegative.
They react with oxygen to form basic oxides. \(4Na + O_2 → 2Na_2O\) \(C + O_2 → CO_2\)	They react with oxygen to form acidic or neutral oxides.
These have ionic bonds.	These have covalent bonds.
They react with water to form oxides and hydroxides. Some metals react with cold water, some with hot water, and some with steam. \(2Na + 2H_2O → 2NaOH + H_2↑\)	They do not react with water.
They react with dilute acids to form a salt and evolve hydrogen gas. However, Cu, Ag, Au, Pt, Hg do not react. \(2Na + 2HCl → 2NaCl + H_2↑\)	They do not react with dilute acids. These are not capable of replacing hydrogen.
They react with the salt solution of metals. Depending on their reactivity, displacement reaction can occur. \(CuSO_4 + Zn → ZnSO_4 + Cu\)	These react with the salt solution of non-metals.
They act as reducing agents (as they can easily lose electrons). \(CI_2 + 2e^- → 2CI^-\)	These act as oxidising agents (as they can gain electrons). \(Na → Na^+ + e^-\)

Answer 2

Differences Between Metals and Non-Metals Based on Chemical Properties

Metals:

1. Formation of Ions:
  - Metals tend to lose electrons to form positive ions (cations).
  - Example: Sodium (Na) loses one electron to form Na\(^+\).

2. Oxidation:
  - Metals are generally good reducing agents as they lose electrons during chemical reactions.
  - Example: Iron (Fe) reacts with oxygen to form iron oxide (rust).

3. Reaction with Acids:
  - Metals react with acids to produce hydrogen gas and a salt.
  - Example: Zinc (Zn) reacts with hydrochloric acid (HCl) to form zinc chloride (ZnCl\(_2\)) and hydrogen gas (H\(_2\)).
  - \( \text{Zn} + 2\text{HCl} \rightarrow \text{ZnCl}_2 + \text{H}_2 \)

4. Formation of Oxides:
  - Metals react with oxygen to form basic oxides.
  - Example: Magnesium (Mg) reacts with oxygen to form magnesium oxide (MgO).
  - \( 2\text{Mg} + \text{O}_2 \rightarrow 2\text{MgO} \)

5. Electropositive Nature:
  - Metals have low electronegativity and tend to donate electrons.
  - Example: Potassium (K) easily loses its outer electron.

Non-Metals:

1. Formation of Ions:
  - Non-metals tend to gain electrons to form negative ions (anions).
  - Example: Chlorine (Cl) gains one electron to form Cl\(^-\).

2. Reduction:
  - Non-metals are generally good oxidizing agents as they gain electrons during chemical reactions.
  - Example: Oxygen (O\(_2\)) gains electrons during combustion reactions.

3. Reaction with Acids:
  - Non-metals do not react with acids in the same way as metals. They do not produce hydrogen gas.
  - Example: Sulfur (S) does not react with hydrochloric acid.

4. Formation of Oxides:
  - Non-metals react with oxygen to form acidic oxides or neutral oxides.
  - Example: Carbon (C) reacts with oxygen to form carbon dioxide (CO\(_2\)), an acidic oxide.
  - \( \text{C} + \text{O}_2 \rightarrow \text{CO}_2 \)

5. Electronegative Nature:
  - Non-metals have high electronegativity and tend to accept electrons.
  - Example: Fluorine (F) is highly electronegative and readily gains an electron to form F\(^-\).

 Summary Table:

Property	Metals	Non-Metals
Formation of Ions	Form cations by losing electrons	Form anions by gaining electrons
Oxidation	Good reducing agents	Good oxidizing agents
Reaction with Acids	Produce hydrogen gas and salts	Generally do not react to produce hydrogen
Formation of Oxides	Form basic oxides	Form acidic or neutral oxides
Electronegativity	Low, tend to donate electrons	High, tend to accept electrons

These differences in chemical properties highlight the distinct behaviors of metals and non-metals in various chemical reactions and processes.