Test Review - Physical and Chemical properties of Metals

Question 1

What are some physical properties of a metal? What about non-metals?

Answer 1

Metals: Shiny, Strong, Hard, Durable, Ductile, Malleable, Can conduct electricity, high melting points

Non-metals: Dull, Weak, Soft, Brittle, Cannot conduct electricity and low melting points

Question 2

What are some general chemical properties of metals?

Answer 2

Majority of metallic substances react with …

• water
• oxygen
• acid
• nonmetals

• Another chemical property is that the metals
lose valence electrons

Question 3

What influences the physical properties of a substance?

Answer 3

The attractive forces that hold the particles together.

Question 4

In FeO3, what are the particles that makeup iron? Same question for oxygen.

Answer 4

Iron - Positively charged ions (cations)

Oxygen - molecules

Question 5

Why can metals conduct electricity?

Answer 5

• Metals have delocalized electrons
• The ions can move around easily (they are free)

NOTE: In ionic substances, the electrons don’t move around. The ions themselves do.

Question 6

How do the physical properties of Group 1 & Group 2 Metals differ from transition metals?

Answer 6

• Transition metals are shiny but G1 & 2 metals are only shiny
when cut
• Transition metals are harder
• Group 1 and 2 metals are less ductile compared to the
transition metals
• Group 1 and 2 metals are less dense compared to the
transition metals
• Transition metals have higher melting points than G1 & G2
metals

Question 7

How do the chemical properties of Group 1 & Group 2 metals differ from the transition metals?

Answer 7

G1 & G2 metals react faster with water than transition metals

G1 & G2 metals form white-colored compounds whereas transition metals form more colorful compounds.

Transition metals are multivalent whereas G1 & G2 metals are monovalent

Question 8

Why are Group 1 & 2 metals not used to build anything in our world? Why are transition metals used instead?

Answer 8

1) Because Group 1 & 2, metals are more reactive than transition metals
2) They react with water, acids and oxygen faster than transition metals (and more violently often)

Question 9

Explain why wearing a ring made of copper is better than wearing a ring made out of magnesium? Use a chemical equation to support your answer.

Answer 9

1) Our skin produces water since we sweat, it also produces acid
2) Copper is less reactive than hydrogen according to the reactivity series
3) Copper would not react with the water/acid produced by our skin
4) Magnesium is more reactive
5) Magnesium will react with the water/acid on our skin (since our skin produces sweat that has salt acids as well)
6) magnesium can replace hydrogen or the acid

Therefore wearing a copper ring is much safer.

Equation: Mg + H2O —> Mg(OH)2+ H2

Question 10

The Statue of Liberty is made out of Copper. Engineers initially wanted to build it out of bright shiny zinc. Why would this not be a better choice?

Answer 10

Because not only is zinc more reactive than copper, zinc would react with oxygen and water faster than copper since copper is much lower on the reactivity series.

This means zinc can oxidize faster over time, or corrode. This causes zinc to lose its shiny metallic properties over time. It can also change to a very unappealing color.