NCERT Class 10 Science Chapter 3 – Metals and Non-metals

NCERT Class 10 Science Chapter 3 explains the properties, reactions, and uses of metals and non-metals. In NCERT Class 10 Science Chapter 3, students learn how elements differ in their physical and chemical behaviour and how metals are extracted from ores.

The chapter begins with physical properties. Metals are generally lustrous, malleable, ductile, sonorous, and good conductors of heat and electricity. Exceptions include mercury (liquid metal) and soft metals like sodium and potassium. Non-metals are usually dull, brittle, and poor conductors, except graphite, which conducts electricity.

A major focus of NCERT Class 10 Science Chapter 3 is the chemical properties of metals. Metals react with:

• Oxygen to form metal oxides
• Water to produce metal hydroxides and hydrogen
• Acids to form salts and hydrogen gas
• Salt solutions in displacement reactions

The chapter introduces the Reactivity Series:
K > Na > Ca > Mg > Al > Zn > Fe > Pb > H > Cu > Hg > Ag > Au

Metals higher in the series are more reactive and can displace those below them.

Another important section of NCERT Class 10 Science Chapter 3 is the extraction of metals. The method depends on reactivity:

• Low reactivity metals (Au, Ag) are found in native state
• Moderately reactive metals (Zn, Fe) are extracted by roasting and reduction
• Highly reactive metals (Na, K, Al) are extracted by electrolysis

The chapter also explains ionic bonding, where metals lose electrons and non-metals gain electrons, forming ionic compounds with high melting points.

Finally, corrosion and its prevention are discussed. Rusting of iron forms hydrated iron(III) oxide, and prevention methods include painting, galvanisation, and alloying.

For board exams, NCERT Class 10 Science Chapter 3 is crucial for understanding chemical reactivity, metallurgy, and ionic compounds. Students should refer to the official NCERT website at for authentic textbooks and updates.

For structured preparation of NCERT Class 9–12 for UPSC, BPSC and State PCS examinations, strengthen your basics with our complete NCERT Book Notes PDF for Class 9-12, available inside the NCERT foundation course level-2.

Access Complete NCERT Book Notes PDF

3.1 Physical Properties

• Metals and non-metals can be distinguished based on their physical properties such as appearance, hardness, malleability, ductility, conductivity, and sonority
• Most metals are solid at room temperature, except mercury, which is a liquid
• Metals generally have a shiny surface and show metallic lustre
• Metals are usually hard and strong, though some like sodium and potassium are soft and can be cut with a knife
• Metals are malleable (can be beaten into thin sheets) and ductile (can be drawn into wires), which makes them useful in making utensils, wires, and machinery
• Metals are good conductors of heat and electricity, which is why materials like copper and aluminium are used for electrical wiring
• Metals are sonorous, meaning they produce a ringing sound when struck
• In contrast, most non-metals are dull, brittle, non-sonorous, and poor conductors of heat and electricity

3.1.1 Metals

• Metals are generally hard, solid, and shiny (metallic lustre) at room temperature, except mercury, which is liquid
• Metals are malleable, meaning they can be beaten into thin sheets; this property is used in making aluminium foil and gold leaves
• Metals are ductile, meaning they can be drawn into wires; for example, copper and aluminium wires are used in electrical transmission
• Metals are good conductors of heat and electricity, which is why cooking utensils and electrical wires are made of metals
• Metals are sonorous, producing a ringing sound when struck, a property used in making bells and musical instruments
• Metals are generally strong and hard, though some metals like sodium and potassium are soft and can be cut with a knife
• Metals have high melting and boiling points, except metals like gallium and cesium, which have low melting points

3.1.2 Non-metals

• Non-metals generally have a dull appearance and do not show metallic lustre, except iodine, which is lustrous
• Most non-metals are poor conductors of heat and electricity, except graphite, which conducts electricity
• Non-metals are usually brittle and break easily when hammered; therefore, they are not malleable or ductile
• Non-metals are generally not sonorous, meaning they do not produce a ringing sound when struck
• Many non-metals exist as gases at room temperature, such as oxygen and nitrogen, while some like bromine are liquids
• Non-metals generally have lower melting and boiling points compared to metals
• Non-metals are essential in daily life; for example, oxygen is necessary for respiration and nitrogen is important for plant growth

3.2 Chemical Properties of Metals

• Metals are generally electropositive, meaning they tend to lose electrons and form positive ions (cations)
• Metals react with oxygen, water, acids, and salt solutions, showing characteristic chemical behaviour
• When metals lose electrons, they form ionic compounds, usually with non-metals
• The reactivity of metals differs; some metals react vigorously while others react slowly or not at all
• Chemical properties help classify metals based on their reactivity series
• Highly reactive metals like potassium and sodium are stored in kerosene oil to prevent reaction with air and moisture
• The study of chemical properties helps in understanding the extraction and uses of metals

3.2.1 What happens when Metals are burnt in Air?

• Most metals react with oxygen in air to form metal oxides, which are generally basic in nature
• For example, magnesium burns in air with a dazzling white flame to form magnesium oxide (MgO):
  2Mg + O₂ → 2MgO
• Some metal oxides such as aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃) and zinc oxide (ZnO) are amphoteric, meaning they react with both acids and bases
• Highly reactive metals like potassium and sodium react so vigorously with oxygen that they are stored in kerosene oil
• Metals such as copper form a black coating of copper(II) oxide (CuO) when heated in air
• Metal oxides dissolve in water to form metal hydroxides, which are basic in nature

3.2.2 What happens when Metals react with Water?

• Metals react with water to form metal hydroxide or metal oxide along with the release of hydrogen gas
• Highly reactive metals like potassium (K) and sodium (Na) react vigorously with cold water, producing hydrogen gas and a large amount of heat
• Calcium (Ca) reacts less vigorously with water to form calcium hydroxide and hydrogen gas
• Metals such as magnesium (Mg) react slowly with cold water but react rapidly with hot water or steam to form magnesium oxide and hydrogen
• Iron (Fe) does not react with cold or hot water but reacts with steam to form iron oxide (Fe₃O₄) and hydrogen gas
• Metals like copper, silver, and gold do not react with water
• The reaction of metals with water helps determine their position in the reactivity series

3.2.3 What happens when Metals react with Acids?

• Most metals react with dilute acids to produce a salt and hydrogen gas
• For example, zinc reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid to form zinc chloride and hydrogen gas:
  Zn + 2HCl → ZnCl₂ + H₂
• Similarly, iron reacts with dilute sulphuric acid to form iron sulphate and hydrogen gas
• The hydrogen gas evolved can be identified by the characteristic ‘pop’ sound when a burning matchstick is brought near it
• Metals placed above hydrogen in the reactivity series can displace hydrogen from acids
• Nitric acid (HNO₃) is an exception because it is a strong oxidising agent and usually does not produce hydrogen gas
• Less reactive metals like copper, silver, and gold do not react with dilute acids

3.2.4 How do Metals react with Solutions of other Metal Salts?

• A more reactive metal can displace a less reactive metal from its salt solution; this is called a displacement reaction
• For example, when iron (Fe) is placed in copper sulphate (CuSO₄) solution, the blue colour fades and copper is deposited, forming iron sulphate:
  Fe + CuSO₄ → FeSO₄ + Cu
• Similarly, zinc (Zn) displaces copper from copper sulphate solution:
  Zn + CuSO₄ → ZnSO₄ + Cu
• If a metal is less reactive, no reaction occurs when placed in a more reactive metal’s salt solution
• These reactions help compare the relative reactivity of metals
• The ability to displace another metal depends on the position of the metal in the reactivity series

3.2.5 The Reactivity Series

• The reactivity series is a list of metals arranged in the order of their decreasing reactivity
• The series developed from displacement reactions is:
  K > Na > Ca > Mg > Al > Zn > Fe > Pb > [H] > Cu > Hg > Ag > Au
• Potassium (K) is the most reactive metal, while gold (Au) is the least reactive metal
• Metals placed above hydrogen (H) in the series can displace hydrogen from dilute acids
• A metal higher in the series can displace a metal lower in the series from its salt solution
• Highly reactive metals like potassium and sodium react vigorously with water and air
• Less reactive metals like silver and gold are found in native (free) state in nature

3.3 How do Metals and Non-metals React?

• Metals generally have 1–3 electrons in their outermost shell and tend to lose electrons to achieve a stable configuration
• Non-metals usually have 4–7 electrons in their valence shell and tend to gain or share electrons to complete their octet
• When a metal reacts with a non-metal, electrons are transferred from the metal to the non-metal, forming ions
• The metal becomes a positively charged ion (cation) and the non-metal becomes a negatively charged ion (anion)
• The oppositely charged ions attract each other by electrostatic forces, forming an ionic bond
• For example, in the formation of sodium chloride (NaCl), sodium loses one electron to chlorine, forming Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions
• The compound formed by transfer of electrons is called an ionic compound

3.3.1 Properties of Ionic Compounds

• Ionic compounds are formed by the transfer of electrons from a metal to a non-metal, resulting in the formation of cations and anions
• Ionic compounds are generally solid and hard due to the strong electrostatic forces of attraction between oppositely charged ions
• They have high melting and boiling points because a large amount of energy is required to break the strong ionic bonds
• Ionic compounds are usually soluble in water but insoluble in organic solvents like kerosene or petrol
• In the solid state, ionic compounds do not conduct electricity because the ions are not free to move
• In the molten state or aqueous solution, ionic compounds conduct electricity as the ions become free to move
• Ionic compounds are generally brittle and break when pressure is applied

3.4 Occurrence of Metals

• Metals are found in nature either in the free (native) state or in the form of compounds
• Less reactive metals such as gold (Au), silver (Ag), and platinum (Pt) are found in the native state
• Most metals are found in the form of ores, which are naturally occurring rocks containing sufficient quantity of a metal
• An ore contains impurities known as gangue such as sand, soil, and rocky materials
• The process of obtaining a metal from its ore is called metallurgy
• Metals occur mainly as oxides, sulphides, carbonates, and chlorides in nature
• The extraction and purification of metals depend on their position in the reactivity series

3.4.1 Extraction of Metals

• The process of obtaining a pure metal from its ore is called extraction of metals and is an important part of metallurgy
• Extraction of metals involves three major steps: concentration (enrichment) of ore, conversion to oxide, and reduction to metal
• The method of extraction depends on the reactivity of the metal, which is determined by its position in the reactivity series
• Metals low in the reactivity series can be extracted by heating alone, while metals in the middle require reduction using carbon, and highly reactive metals require electrolysis
• During extraction, impurities present in the ore are removed to obtain the desired metal in pure form
• The final metal obtained may require further purification through refining processes

3.4.2 Enrichment of Ores

• Ores contain impurities called gangue, such as sand, soil, and rocky materials, which must be removed before extraction
• The process of removing gangue from ore is called enrichment or concentration of ore
• One common method is hydraulic washing (gravity separation), where lighter gangue particles are washed away by flowing water
• Magnetic separation is used when either the ore or gangue is magnetic
• Froth flotation method is commonly used for concentrating sulphide ores, where ore particles float on froth and impurities settle at the bottom
• In some cases, leaching is used, where the ore is treated with a suitable chemical to dissolve the metal compound
• Enrichment increases the percentage of metal content in the ore before further extraction steps

3.4.3 Extracting Metals Low in the Activity Series

• Metals low in the reactivity series such as gold (Au), silver (Ag), and platinum (Pt) are often found in the native state
• These metals are less reactive and can be obtained by heating the ore in air without the need for complex reduction processes
• For example, cinnabar (HgS) is first converted to mercury oxide (HgO) on heating in air
• The mercury oxide then decomposes on further heating to give mercury (Hg) and oxygen
• Since these metals are less reactive, they are easier to extract compared to highly reactive metals
• The extraction process for low-reactivity metals generally requires less energy

3.4.4 Extracting Metals in the Middle of the Activity Series

• Metals in the middle of the reactivity series such as zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), and lead (Pb) are usually found as sulphide or carbonate ores
• These ores are first converted into metal oxides by processes such as roasting (heating sulphide ores in air) or calcination (heating carbonate ores in limited air)
• During roasting, sulphide ores are converted into oxides with the release of sulphur dioxide gas (SO₂)
• During calcination, carbonate ores decompose to form metal oxide and carbon dioxide (CO₂)
• The metal oxide is then reduced to metal by heating with carbon (coke)
• For example, zinc oxide (ZnO) is reduced by carbon to form zinc metal:
  ZnO + C → Zn + CO
• These metals are extracted by reduction with carbon, as they are moderately reactive

3.4.5 Extracting Metals towards the Top of the Activity Series

• Metals at the top of the reactivity series such as potassium (K), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and aluminium (Al) are highly reactive
• These metals cannot be extracted by reduction with carbon because they have a strong affinity for oxygen
• They are extracted by electrolysis of their molten compounds
• For example, sodium is obtained by the electrolysis of molten sodium chloride (NaCl)
• Aluminium is extracted by electrolysis of molten aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃)
• This method requires a large amount of electricity, making it energy-intensive
• Electrolysis breaks down the compound into metal and non-metal by passing electric current through the molten substance

3.4.6 Refining of Metals

• The metal obtained after extraction is often impure and needs purification; this process is called refining of metals
• One of the most common methods of refining is electrolytic refining
• In electrolytic refining, the impure metal is made the anode, the pure metal is made the cathode, and a solution of a salt of the metal is used as the electrolyte
• When electric current is passed, the impure metal dissolves from the anode and pure metal is deposited at the cathode
• The impurities settle at the bottom of the container as anode mud
• This method is used for refining metals such as copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), silver (Ag), and gold (Au)
• Refining improves the purity and quality of the metal for industrial use

3.5 Corrosion

• Corrosion is the process in which a metal is gradually destroyed due to reaction with substances present in the environment such as oxygen, moisture, and acids
• The most common example is rusting of iron, where iron reacts with oxygen and water to form reddish-brown rust (hydrated iron(III) oxide)
• The chemical reaction involved in rusting is a slow oxidation process
• Corrosion leads to serious damage to bridges, ships, car bodies, pipelines, and iron structures
• Every year, a large amount of money is spent on repairing and replacing corroded metal structures
• Corrosion reduces the strength and durability of metals

3.5.1 Prevention of Corrosion

• Corrosion can be prevented by applying a protective layer such as paint, oil, or grease on the metal surface to prevent contact with air and moisture
• Galvanisation is a common method in which iron is coated with a thin layer of zinc to protect it from rusting
• Alloying is another method where metals are mixed with other elements to improve resistance to corrosion, for example stainless steel
• In galvanisation, even if the zinc coating is scratched, zinc continues to protect iron because it is more reactive than iron
• Proper maintenance and protective coatings increase the life and durability of metal structures

Exam Oriented Facts

• Mercury (Hg) is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature
• Sodium (Na) and potassium (K) are soft metals and are stored in kerosene oil
• Iodine is a non-metal that shows lustre, and graphite conducts electricity
• Magnesium burns in air to form magnesium oxide (MgO)
• Iron reacts with steam to form Fe₃O₄ (iron oxide) and hydrogen gas
• Metal + Dilute Acid → Salt + Hydrogen gas
• Nitric acid (HNO₃) usually does not produce hydrogen gas because it is a strong oxidising agent
• Reactivity series:
  K > Na > Ca > Mg > Al > Zn > Fe > Pb > [H] > Cu > Hg > Ag > Au
• Metals above hydrogen in the series can displace hydrogen from acids
• Ionic compounds have high melting and boiling points and conduct electricity in molten or aqueous state
• Ores contain impurities called gangue
• Roasting is heating sulphide ores in air; calcination is heating carbonate ores in limited air
• Highly reactive metals are extracted by electrolysis
• Electrolytic refining produces pure metal at the cathode and impurities collect as anode mud
• Rusting of iron forms hydrated iron(III) oxide
• Galvanisation is coating iron with zinc to prevent corrosion

Understanding NCERT Class 10 Science Chapter 3 – Metals and Non-metals helps students master reactivity, extraction methods, and corrosion prevention.

NCERT Class 10 Science Chapter 3 forms the foundation for electrochemistry and material science in higher studies.

Continue reading NCERT Class 10 Science Chapter 4 – Carbon and its Compounds to explore organic chemistry basics.

FAQs

Q1. What is NCERT Class 10 Science Chapter 3 about?
It explains properties of metals and non-metals, reactivity series, extraction and corrosion.

Q2. What is the reactivity series?
It is a list of metals arranged in decreasing order of reactivity.

Q3. How are highly reactive metals extracted?
By electrolysis of their molten compounds.

Q4. What is corrosion?
It is the gradual destruction of metals due to reaction with air and moisture.

Q5. Why is Chapter 3 important for exams?
It builds the foundation for metallurgy, ionic compounds, and electrochemical concepts.

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