Physical and Chemical Properties of Elements

To clear the IIT-JEE exam, students need to put in dedicated efforts and have proper planning. Along with the IIT Mains examination syllabus, the class 12th syllabus plays a significant role in shaping the student’s future. Therefore, a thorough understanding of every concept is a must.

This guide will explain some important physical and chemical properties of metals and non-metals. So, if you’re facing difficulties or want to start the preparation process, our guide will answer all your questions.

The Periodic Table

A periodic table is a group of tables consisting of an arrangement of elements based on each of their chemical properties. In the periodic table, all metals are featured on the left-hand side, whereas the right side of the periodic table has all the non-metals. The rows in the periodic table are known as periods, whereas the columns are referred to as groups. There are 92 elements in total, out of which 22 are non-metals, whereas the rest 70 are metals.

For better understanding, below we have listed the first 30 elements in the periodic table along with their atomic numbers and electronic configuration:

Atomic Number	Name of the Element	Electronic Configuration
1	Hydrogen (H)	1s1
2	Helium (He)	1s2
3	Lithium (Li)	[He] 2s1
4	Beryllium (Be)	[He] 2s2
5	Boron (B)	[He] 2s2 2p1
6	Carbon (C)	[He] 2s2 2p2
7	Nitrogen (N)	[He] 2s2 2p3
8	Oxygen (O)	[He] 2s2 2p4
9	Fluorine (F)	[He] 2s2 2p5
10	Neon (Ne)	[He] 2s2 2p6
11	Sodium (Na)	[Ne] 3s1
12	Magnesium (Mg)	[Ne] 3s2
13	Aluminum (Al)	[Ne] 3s2 3p1
14	Silicon (Si)	[Ne] 3s2 3p2
15	Phosphorus (P)	[Ne] 3s2 3p3
16	Sulfur (S)	[Ne] 3s2 3p4
17	Chlorine (Cl)	[Ne] 3s2 3p5
18	Argon (Ar)	[Ne] 3s2 3p6
19	Potassium (K)	[Ar] 4s1
20	Calcium (Ca)	[Ar] 4s2
21	Scandium (Sc)	[Ar] 3d1 4s2
22	Titanium (Ti)	[Ar] 3d2 4s2
23	Vanadium (V)	[Ar] 3d3 4s2
24	Chromium (Cr)	[Ar] 3d5 4s1
25	Manganese (Mn)	[Ar] 3d5 4s2
26	Iron (Fe)	[Ar] 3d6 4s2
27	Cobalt (Co)	[Ar] 3d7 4s2
28	Nickel (Ni)	[Ar] 3d8 4s2
29	Copper (Cu)	[Ar] 3d10 4s1
30	Zinc (Zn)	[Ar] 3d10 4s2

Metals

From the first 30 elements of the periodic table, it can be seen that metals are in the majority as compared to non-metals. There are several kinds of metals, including:

Alkali metals
Alkali earth metals
Transition metals
Lanthanides
Actinides

Physical Properties of Metals

The following are the physical properties of metals:

Metals can be beaten into thin sheets, which means they are extremely malleable in nature. Typical examples are gold, silver, and aluminum, beaten rigorously into thin sheets to produce ornaments.
All metals are present in their solid form except mercury which is present in the liquid state.
Metals are naturally shiny in nature; therefore, these are used to make precious ornaments, jewellery, and kitchenware.
Metals are a great conductor of both electricity and heat; therefore, heat and electricity can easily pass through metals without causing any external or internal damage.
Since metals are ductile in nature, they can be easily stretched into wires as thin as possible. Common examples are aluminum wires and copper wires.
Metals are exceptionally heavy and hard except potassium and sodium, easily cut through knives.
Every time they hit an object, they produce a sound which means metals are sonorous.

Chemical Properties of Metals

The following are the chemical properties of metals:

Every time metals come in direct contact with oxygen, they produce metal oxides.
Metals have fewer electrons as they tend to lose them.
Metals tend to corrode fast and easily.
Metals are electro-positive elements.
Metals are great for reducing agents.

Comparison Between Physical Properties of Metals and Non-metals

Property Type	Metals	Non-metals
Physical State	Metals at room temperature are solid.	Non-metals exist as both gases and solids except bromine.
Density	Highly dense	Low.
Melting and boiling points	High boiling and melting points (except caesium and gallium)	Low boiling and melting points (except graphite and diamond)
Malleability and Ductility	Ductile and malleable	Not ductile or malleable
Conductivity	Conducts electricity and heat	Bad conductors of heat
Lustre	Shining lustre	No lustre; the exception is iodine
Sonorous sound	Sonorous	Non-sonorous
Hardness	Generally hard	Generally soft

Non-metals

Metals that do not possess the properties of metals are termed non-metals. Compared to metals that are 70, the number of non-metals in the periodic table is exceptionally low, that is, 22. Some non-metals are:

Hydrogen
Carbon
Phosphorus
Selenium
Nitrogen
Oxygen
All halogens
Sulfur
Noble gasses

Physical Properties of Non-metals

The following are the physical properties of non-metals:

When non-metal is beaten into thin sheets, they tend to break into pieces. Some common examples are phosphorus and sulfur.
When kept at room temperature, the non-metals can be in all states, including solid, gaseous, and liquid.
Non-metals are non-sonorous, so they do not produce any sound when beaten or hit by other objects.
Unlike metals, non-metals are not ductile, which means they can be transformed into thin wires.
Lastly, non-metals can be transparent.

Chemical Properties of Non-metals

The following are the chemical properties of non-metals:

Unlike metals, non-metals have a high number of electrons in the outer shell, around 4-8 electrons.
Every time a non-metal comes in direct contact with oxygen, it produces acidic oxides.
These are great oxidising agents and do not react when mixed with water.
Non-metals are electronegative elements.
Non-metals gain valence electrons.

Comparison Between Chemical Properties of Metals and Non-metals

Reaction Type	Metals	Non-metals
Reaction with H2O	When reacting with water, metals form metal hydroxides and produce H2 gas.	When non-metals react with water, there is no reaction.
Reaction with O2	Metals, when reacting with O2, produce basic oxides.	In order to form oxides, the non-metals react with O2 or oxygen.
Reaction with acids	When metals react with acid, it releases hydrogen and forms salt.	When non-metals react with acids, no reaction takes place.

Conclusion

Physical and chemical properties of metals and non-metals are among the basic and most important concepts while preparing to appear in competitive examination. Over the past 10 years, a decent amount of questions have been asked from this chapter, which means it holds a lot of significance in every student’s life aiming to score higher grades.