Non-Metals and Their Properties – Characteristics of Non-Metals

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Chemistry topic – “Non-Metals and Their Properties – Characteristics of Non-Metals”, is important for all competitive exams like CET- Common eligibility Test, SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, RRB NTPC, UPSC and other state civil services exams. In these exams, almost 4-5 Questions are coming from Chemistry. Let’s start the topic:

Non-Metals and Their Properties:

Non-metals are the elements which form negative ions by gaining an electron. Thus, non-metals are also known as Electronegative Elements.

Non-metals are the elements that do not conduct electricity and are neither malleable nor ductile.
Non-metal may be solid, liquid or gas.
Bromine is the only liquid non-metal.
Examples: Carbon (C), Silicon (Si), Hydrogen (H), Oxygen (O).

Properties of Non-Metals:-

Hardness: Non-metals are not hard rather they are generally soft. But the diamond is an exception; it is the hardest naturally occurring substance.
State: Non-metals may be solid, liquid or gas.
Lustre: Non-metals have a dull appearance. Diamond and iodine are exceptions.
Sonority: Non-metals are not sonorous, i.e., they do not produce a typical sound on being hit.
Conduction: Non-metals are a bad conductor of heat and electricity. Graphite which is allotrope of carbon is a good conductor of electricity and is an exception.
Malleability and ductility: Non-metals are brittle.
Melting and boiling point: Non-metals have generally low melting and boiling points.
Density: Most of the non-metals have low density.
Colour: Non-metals are in many colours.

Use of Non-Metals:-

Oxygen is used for breathing.
Chlorine is used for purifying water.
Chlorine is also used in bleaching powder and liquid bleach, which are used for cleaning purposes.
Phosphorous is used in crackers.
Nitrogen is used in fertilizers.
Graphite is used as a good conductor of electricity.
Potassium is used in fertilizers.
Nitrogen is used by plants.
Graphite is used in making leads.
Bromine is used in dyes and pesticides.
Diamond is used in industries for cutting of glass, etc.
Coal, another form of carbon, is used as a fuel.
Iodine is used in the treatment of Goitre.

Important Non-metals:-

Carbon (C):

Carbon occurs both in a free state as well as in the combined state.
Carbon has two crystalline allotropes diamond and graphite.
Carbon in the form of diamond is a non-metal which is extremely hard.
Carbon in the form of graphite is non-metal which conduct electricity.

Allotropes of Carbon:

Diamond:

Diamond is the hardest substance and is the bad conductor of electricity.
Diamond is the purest form of the Carbon
Used in the making of jewellery and cutting glass.
Diamond is a non-metal which has a very high melting point and boiling point.

Graphite:

Graphite is also a allotrope of carbon.
Graphite is an exception. It is a good conductor of heat and electricity.
Used in the nuclear reactor as a moderator.

Compounds of Carbon:

Carbon Monoxide (CO):

It is colourless, odourless, neutral and highly poisonous gas in nature.
CO (carbon-mono-oxide) has higher affinity with haemoglobin. Due to this property, CO forms Carboxyhaemoglobin when mix with haemoglobin which is a toxic substance and not able to absorb oxygen. Thus resultant, leads to suffocation and causing death.
It is the reason, coal fire does not kept in a close room and slept.

Carbon Dioxide (CO₂):

Carbon dioxide is colourless gas.
Carbon dioxide gas is the main responsible gas for global warming.
Plants require carbon dioxide to conduct photosynthesis. CO₂to sustain and increase the rate of plant growth.
Solid CO₂ is known as Dry ice.
CO₂ is used as fire extinguisher.
The Earth’s atmosphere consists of 0.03% – 0.04% carbon dioxide
CO₂ gas is main responsible gas for air pollution which exhausted from automobiles industries chimneys and volcano etc.
On heating of sodium bi-carbonate (NaHC – backing soda) it produce CO₂ It is the reason that sodium bicarbonate use in bakery industries which makes bakery/bread bloated.

Oxygen (O):-

Oxygen is a gas at room temperature.
Oxygen is odourless, tasteless and colorless.
Oxygen exists in two allotropic forms that are in the most stable diatomic form (O2) and in a less stable triatomic form (O3) ozone.
Exists as two oxygen atoms bonded together – diatomic O2
Oxygen is the 3rd most abundant element found in the universe.
Oxygen is most abundant element present in our “earth-crust”.
The most abundant element present in human body is oxygen.
The Earth’s atmosphere consists of 21% oxygen.
Most living organisms on Earth need to breathe oxygen to live.
Oxygen is soluble in water. Hence, aquatic life is possible.
Plants produce oxygen through a process known as photosynthesis.
Ozone is an allotropic form of oxygen which form a layer in atmosphere, which absorb U.V. rays.
Ozone is use in the sterilization process.
Oxygen is the supporter of combustion but it is non-inflammable.

Nitrogen (N):

Nitrogen is a gas that is colorless, odourless and tasteless.
It is insoluble in water.
Nitrogen is a gas at room temperature.
It is a diatomic gas, N_2.
Dinitrogen (N₂) is most abundantly present around 78% of the Earth’s atmosphere (in third layer).
If there is no nitrogen in our atmosphere, our earth became to ash.
Nitrogen gas provides an inert atmosphere on the earth.
At the time of thundering, atmospheric nitrogen converted into nitrate, which improve the fertility of soil.
Nitrogen is the fourth most abundant element found in the human body.
The compound Nitrous oxide (N₂o), also called nitrous or laughing gas, is used as Anaesthesia Substance by medical professionals.
Nitrogen + Argon are filled in electric blub.

Phosphorus (P):

Phosphorus is a highly reactive non-metal so, it does not occur in the Free State.
Phosphorus is an essential constituent of bones, teeth, blood nerves and tissue.
Bones contain approx. 80% phosphorus.

Sulphur(S):

Sulphur occurs in the free-state in volcanic areas.
Sulphur is used in the rubber industry for vulcanization of rubber.
Sulphur exists in five allotropic forms.

Chlorine (Cl):

Chlorine is always present in the combined state in nature in the form of chlorides.
Chlorine is used as a bleaching agent.
It is used as a disinfectant and oxidizing agent.

Iodine (I):

Iodine is non-metal which is lustrous having a shining surface.
It is used as an antiseptic as tincture of Iodine.
Iodine is used in the treatment of Goitre.
Turns starch solution blue.

Non-Metals and Their Properties – Characteristics of Non-Metals

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