Chapter 3: Metals and Non-metals
Simple, exam-focused CBSE Class 10 Science notes — star topics, concepts, common mistakes, and previous year question patterns, all on one page.
Chapter 3: Metals and Non-metals
⭐ Star Topics / Most Important
- Physical and chemical properties of metals and non-metals
- Reactivity series
- Extraction of metals
- Ionic bonding
Detailed Chapter Notes
Metals are generally shiny (lustrous), malleable, ductile, good conductors, and sonorous. Exceptions: mercury is liquid, sodium/potassium are soft enough to cut with a knife.
Non-metals are usually dull (except iodine) and brittle, and poor conductors (except graphite).
Metals react with oxygen to form basic oxides; non-metals form acidic or neutral oxides. Reactivity with acids follows the reactivity series: K, Na, Ca, Mg, Al, Zn, Fe, Pb, (H), Cu, Ag, Au — higher means more reactive.
Ionic bonds form when a metal loses electrons (cation) and a non-metal gains them (anion), and opposite charges attract. NaCl forms when sodium loses one electron and chlorine gains it.
Extraction depends on reactivity: highly reactive metals (K, Na, Ca, Mg, Al) by electrolytic reduction; moderately reactive (Fe, Zn, Pb, Cu) by reduction of oxides with carbon; least reactive (Au, Ag, Pt) found free in nature.
Corrosion prevention: alloying (stainless steel = iron + chromium + nickel), galvanisation (zinc coating on iron), and painting.
Students often mix up aqua regia's ratio — it's a 3:1 mixture of concentrated HCl and concentrated HNO3, not the other way round. Also remember: ionic compounds conduct electricity only in molten or aqueous state, never in solid state — this specific line is asked almost every year.
Search on YouTube: Metals and Non-metals Class 10 reactivity series trick for a visual walkthrough of this chapter.
- Why is sodium kept immersed in kerosene oil? (1 mark)
- Explain the formation of an ionic compound with an example (3 marks)
- Why does copper not react with dilute HCl? (2 marks)
- What is galvanisation? Give one advantage (2 marks)
- Why are metals like gold and silver used for jewellery and not calcium or sodium? (3 marks)