Metals and Non Metals Class 10 Notes, Properties and Important Questions

Metals and non-metals is one of the most important chapters in Class 10 Science because it connects physical properties, chemical reactions, reactivity, bonding, and metallurgy in one place. For board exams, this chapter is highly scoring when students understand the concepts clearly and revise the standard reactions, exceptions, and definitions in a structured way.

In this chapter, we learn how metals and non-metals differ in their physical and chemical behaviour, why some elements show exceptions, how the reactivity series helps us predict reactions, how ionic compounds are formed, and how metals are extracted from ores. When studied properly, this chapter becomes much easier to remember because the ideas are connected logically.

At Deeksha Vedantu, we encourage students to revise chapters like this not by mugging up isolated points, but by understanding patterns. Once you understand why metals lose electrons, why non-metals gain electrons, and how reactivity affects extraction and displacement, the chapter becomes much more manageable.

Why Metals and Non-Metals Is an Important Chapter in Class 10

This chapter is important for several reasons:

• It forms the base for higher chemistry concepts.
• It includes many direct board-exam questions.
• It helps students identify trends and exceptions.
• It combines theory, reasoning, and equations.
• It is useful for both school exams and foundation-level competitive preparation.

Students are often asked to write definitions, compare metals and non-metals, explain reactions with oxygen, acids, and water, define ionic compounds, and distinguish between ores, minerals, and gangue. That is why a well-organized set of Class 10 notes can make revision much more effective.

What Are Metals and Non-Metals

Metals are elements that generally show properties such as lustre, hardness, malleability, ductility, sonority, and good conductivity of heat and electricity. Non-metals usually show opposite behaviour and are often dull, brittle, soft, and poor conductors.

However, it is important to remember that not every metal or non-metal follows the general rule exactly. The chapter becomes easier when you study the common properties first and then learn the standard exceptions separately.

Physical Properties of Metals

Metals are known for a set of characteristic physical properties that help us identify them easily.

• Lustre: Metals have a shiny surface called metallic lustre. This is why metals like gold, silver, and aluminium reflect light well.
• Hardness: Most metals are hard and strong. This makes them useful in construction, machinery, tools, and daily-use objects.
• Malleability: Metals can be beaten into thin sheets. This property is called malleability. Aluminium foil and gold leaf are common examples that show how metals can be flattened into sheets.
• Ductility: Metals can be drawn into thin wires. This property is called ductility. Copper and aluminium are widely used for electrical wiring because of this property.
• Conductivity: Metals are generally good conductors of heat and electricity. This is why metals are used in electric wires, cooking utensils, and many industrial applications.
• Sonority: Metals produce a ringing sound when struck. This property is called sonority.
• High Melting and Boiling Points: Most metals have high melting and boiling points, which means they remain solid under ordinary conditions.

Exceptions in the Physical Properties of Metals

The chapter is incomplete without the exceptions. These are often asked in exams.

• Sodium and Potassium: Although these are metals, they are very soft and can be cut easily.
• Mercury: Mercury is a metal, but it exists in liquid state at room temperature.
• Gallium and Cesium: These metals have very low melting points. They can melt easily with a small increase in temperature.

Physical Properties of Non-Metals

Non-metals usually show a different set of physical properties.

• Soft Nature: Most non-metals are soft when compared to metals.
• Brittleness: Non-metals are brittle. This means they break into pieces or powder when hammered.
• Dull Appearance: Non-metals generally do not have lustre and appear dull.
• Poor Conductivity: Most non-metals are poor conductors of heat and electricity.
• Low Melting and Boiling Points: Many non-metals have lower melting and boiling points compared to metals.

Exceptions in the Physical Properties of Non-Metals

• Iodine: Iodine is a non-metal, but it is lustrous.
• Graphite: Graphite is an allotrope of carbon and is a good conductor of electricity, even though non-metals are usually poor conductors.
• Diamond: Diamond is also an allotrope of carbon, but unlike the general soft nature of non-metals, diamond is extremely hard.

Exceptions Summary Table

This quick table helps students revise the standard exceptions in one place.

Reactivity Series of Metals

The reactivity series arranges metals in decreasing order of reactivity. This series helps us understand displacement reactions, reactions with acids and water, and the extraction of metals.

Standard Reactivity Series

The standard reactivity series is arranged from the most reactive element at the top to the least reactive element at the bottom:

• Potassium
• Sodium
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Aluminium
• Carbon
• Zinc
• Iron
• Tin
• Lead
• Hydrogen
• Copper
• Silver
• Gold
• Platinum

You can remember this as a descending order of reactivity. Any metal placed higher in the series is more reactive and can usually displace a metal placed below it from its compound.

Why the Reactivity Series Is Important

The reactivity series helps students predict:

• which metal reacts faster with oxygen, water, and acids
• which metal can displace another metal from its compound
• which metals can displace hydrogen from acids
• which extraction method is used for a metal

Chemical Properties of Metals

Metals take part in several important chemical reactions that are frequently asked in Class 10 exams.

Reaction of Metals with Oxygen

When metals react with oxygen, they form metal oxides.

General reaction:
Metal + Oxygen → Metal Oxide

Metal oxides are generally basic in nature because when they dissolve in water, they form bases.

Amphoteric Oxides

Some metal oxides are amphoteric. This means they react with both acids and bases.

Examples of metals forming amphoteric oxides include:

• zinc
• aluminium
• lead

Reaction of Metals with Acids

Metals react with dilute acids such as hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid to form salt and hydrogen gas.

General reaction:
Metal + Acid → Salt + Hydrogen

Only those metals that are above hydrogen in the reactivity series can displace hydrogen from acids.

Reaction with Nitric Acid

Nitric acid behaves differently because it is a strong oxidizing agent. It usually does not liberate hydrogen gas when it reacts with metals. Instead, the hydrogen formed gets oxidized to water.

An important exception is that magnesium and manganese can evolve hydrogen gas with very dilute nitric acid.

Aqua Regia

Aqua regia is a special mixture made in the ratio of 1:3 using concentrated nitric acid and concentrated hydrochloric acid.

Composition of Aqua Regia

• 1 part concentrated nitric acid
• 3 parts concentrated hydrochloric acid

Importance of Aqua Regia

Aqua regia is highly corrosive and is used to dissolve noble metals like gold and platinum, which do not react easily with ordinary acids.

Reaction of Metals with Water

The reaction of metals with water depends on their position in the reactivity series.

Quick Revision Table: Reaction of Metals with Water

Important Note

Highly reactive metals like sodium and potassium react so vigorously with cold water that the hydrogen gas produced may catch fire.

Displacement Reactions of Metals

A more reactive metal can displace a less reactive metal from its compound.

For example, zinc is more reactive than iron. Therefore, zinc can displace iron from iron sulfate solution.

Example:
Zinc + Iron Sulfate → Zinc Sulfate + Iron

This is an important concept because exam questions often ask students to predict whether a displacement reaction will occur.

Chemical Properties of Non-Metals

Non-metals also react chemically, but their behaviour is different from metals.

Reaction of Non-Metals with Oxygen

Non-metals react with oxygen to form non-metal oxides.

General reaction:
Non-metal + Oxygen → Non-metal Oxide

These oxides are generally acidic because when they dissolve in water, they form acids.

Acidic Oxides

Examples include:

• carbon dioxide
• sulfur dioxide
• nitrogen dioxide

Neutral Oxides

Some non-metal oxides are neutral in nature.

Examples include:

• carbon monoxide
• nitric oxide
• water

Reaction of Non-Metals with Water and Acids

Non-metals generally do not react with water or acids. This is because non-metals tend to gain electrons rather than lose them. Since acids also accept electrons in many reactions, non-metals usually do not react with them the way metals do.

How Metals and Non-Metals Form Ionic Compounds

When a metal reacts with a non-metal, an ionic compound is formed. This happens because metals lose electrons and non-metals gain electrons.

Example of Sodium Chloride Formation

Sodium has electronic configuration 2,8,1. It loses one electron to become a sodium ion.

Chlorine has electronic configuration 2,8,7. It gains one electron to become a chloride ion.

The oppositely charged ions attract each other and form sodium chloride.

This type of bond is called an ionic bond.

Characteristics of Ionic Compounds

Ionic compounds have several important properties.

Crystalline Nature

They are generally crystalline solids.

Hard but Brittle

They are hard because of the strong electrostatic force of attraction between ions, but they are also brittle and can break under pressure.

High Melting and Boiling Points

Because the force of attraction between ions is strong, ionic compounds have high melting and boiling points.

Conductivity in Molten and Aqueous State

Ionic compounds conduct electricity only in molten state or aqueous solution because ions are free to move in these states.

Solubility

Most ionic compounds are soluble in water and insoluble in organic solvents such as petrol and kerosene.

Minerals, Ores, and Gangue

These are very important terms in the metallurgy part of the chapter.

What Are Minerals

Minerals are naturally occurring elements or compounds found in the earth’s crust.

Examples include salt, clay, and marble.

What Are Ores

Ores are those minerals from which metals can be extracted conveniently and profitably.

In simple words, every ore is a mineral, but not every mineral is an ore.

Examples:

• bauxite is an ore of aluminium
• hematite is an ore of iron
• rock salt is a source associated with sodium compounds

What Is Gangue

Gangue refers to the unwanted impurities present in an ore. These may include soil, sand, rocky particles, and other useless materials.

Extraction of Metals Based on Reactivity

The method of extraction depends on the reactivity of the metal.

Quick Revision Table: Extraction Based on Reactivity

Highly Reactive Metals

Metals like potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and aluminium are highly reactive. These metals are extracted by electrolytic reduction.

Electrolytic Reduction

In this process, molten compounds of highly reactive metals are electrolysed to obtain the pure metal.

This method is used because these metals cannot be reduced easily by ordinary reducing agents.

Moderately Reactive Metals

Metals like zinc, iron, and lead are moderately reactive.

These metals are usually extracted from their sulfide or carbonate ores.

Calcination

Calcination is the process of heating carbonate ores in the absence of air to convert them into metal oxides.

Roasting

Roasting is the process of heating sulfide ores in the presence of excess air to convert them into metal oxides.

Reduction

After oxide formation, the metal oxide is reduced to metal by removing oxygen.

Less Reactive Metals

Metals like copper and mercury are lower in the reactivity series. Their ores can be converted and refined more easily.

Least Reactive Metals

Gold and platinum are very unreactive and are often found in native state.

Concentration of Ore

Before extraction, the gangue particles must be removed from the ore. This process is called concentration of ore.

Different methods are used depending on the impurity and the ore type.

Common Methods of Concentration

• gravity separation
• froth flotation
• magnetic separation
• leaching

Electrolytic Refining

Electrolytic refining is used to purify metals.

In this method:

• the impure metal is made the anode
• a thin sheet of pure metal is made the cathode
• a suitable salt solution is used as the electrolyte

When electric current passes through the solution, pure metal gets deposited on the cathode and impurities fall below as anode mud.

This is an important process used for obtaining pure metal after extraction.

Important Differences Between Metals and Non-Metals

Important Exam Questions from Metals and Non-Metals

Very Short Answer Questions

• What is malleability?
• Why is graphite a good conductor of electricity?
• Why is mercury called an exception among metals?
• What is an ionic bond?
• What is gangue?

Short Answer Questions

• Differentiate between metals and non-metals.
• Explain the reaction of metals with acids.
• Why do ionic compounds conduct electricity only in molten or aqueous state?
• What is the difference between minerals and ores?
• What is the role of reactivity series in metallurgy?

Long Answer Questions

• Explain the reaction of metals with water based on reactivity.
• Describe the formation and properties of ionic compounds.
• Explain calcination, roasting, and reduction with examples.
• Discuss the extraction of metals according to their reactivity.

Smart Revision Tips for Class 10 Students

Learn General Rules and Exceptions Together

Many students remember only the main properties and forget the exceptions. In this chapter, exceptions are very important.

Memorize the Reactivity Series Properly

The reactivity series is the backbone of this chapter. Learn it in order and revise it often.

Focus on Definitions

Terms like ore, mineral, gangue, calcination, roasting, amphoteric oxide, and ionic bond are commonly asked directly.

Practice Equation-Based Questions

Board exams frequently include reaction-based questions. Write and revise standard reactions clearly.

Use Comparison Tables

Comparisons between metals and non-metals, or ores and minerals, help students revise quickly before exams.

FAQs

Q1. What are the main properties of metals in Class 10?

The main properties of metals are lustre, hardness, malleability, ductility, sonority, and good conductivity of heat and electricity. Most metals also have high melting and boiling points.

Q2. What are the important exceptions in metals and non-metals?

Some important exceptions are mercury, which is a liquid metal, sodium and potassium, which are soft metals, iodine, which is a lustrous non-metal, graphite, which conducts electricity, and diamond, which is an extremely hard non-metal.

Q3. Why is the reactivity series important in the chapter metals and non-metals?

The reactivity series helps students predict displacement reactions, reactions with acids and water, and the method used for extraction of metals from ores.

Q4. What is an ionic compound?

An ionic compound is a compound formed by the transfer of electrons from a metal to a non-metal. This creates oppositely charged ions that attract each other strongly.

Q5. Why do ionic compounds conduct electricity only in molten state or aqueous solution?

In solid state, the ions are fixed in position and cannot move. In molten state or aqueous solution, the ions become free to move, so they can conduct electricity.

Q6. What is the difference between minerals and ores?

Minerals are naturally occurring compounds found in the earth’s crust. Ores are those minerals from which metals can be extracted profitably and conveniently.

Q7. What is calcination and roasting?

Calcination is heating an ore in the absence of air, usually for carbonate ores. Roasting is heating an ore in the presence of excess air, usually for sulfide ores.

Conclusion

Metals and non-metals is a foundational chapter in Class 10 Science that explains how elements differ in properties, reactions, bonding, and extraction. Once students understand the pattern behind reactivity, the chapter becomes much easier to revise and score well in exams.

The best way to master this chapter is to combine concept clarity with repeated revision of exceptions, equations, and metallurgy-based terms. At Deeksha Vedantu, we always encourage students to study science with understanding first and memorization second, because that approach leads to stronger recall in the exam hall.