METALS

Physical properties
- They are ductile, malleable (because ions can slide past each other) and sonorous
- They are solids at room temperature except mercury
- They are good conductors of heat and electricity
- They have high densities because atoms are very closely packed
- They have high melting and boiling points due to strong attractions between ions and
electrons
- They are grey in colour except Gold and Copper

Chemical properties
- Metals are reducing agents
- React with oxygen to form metal oxides
e.g 2Mg (s) + O2 (g) 2MgO (s)
- React with halogens to form metal halides
2Na (s) + Cl2 (g) 2NaCl (s)
- React with acids to form Salts and Hydrogen gas
Mg (s) + H2SO4 (aq) MgSO4 (aq) + H2 (g)
- React with water to form metal hydroxides and hydrogen gas
2Li (s) + 2H2O (l) 2LiOH (aq) + H2 (g)
- Moderately reactive metals can react with steam to give metal oxides and hydrogen
gas
Mg (s) H2O (g) MgO (s) + H2 (g)
- Displacement reactions (the most reactive metal replace the least reactive one)
Zn (s) + FeSO4 (aq) ZnSO4 (aq) + Fe (s)
 REACTIVITY SERIES
Metals can be listed in order of reactivity, in order of their readiness to take part in
chemical reactions. This list is called the reactivity series.

Reactivity Method of extraction

series
Potassium
Sodium
Calcium Electrolysis of molten ores
Magnesium
Aluminium
(carbon)
Zinc
Iron Chemical reduction of their oxides with carbon (sulphide ores
Tin heated to give oxides)
Lead
(Hydrogen)
Copper Copper can be extracted through chemical reduction using hydrogen as
copper is less reactive than hydrogen.
Silver
Gold Occur native in the ground

Metals such as Gold, Copper, Silver and Platinum are sometimes found native (uncombined
state, free elements). This is because they are unreactive. Aluminium is so reactive that as
soon as it is exposed to air, its surface immediately reacts with oxygen to form aluminium
oxide, the surface layer of aluminium oxide is unreactive and therefore prevents aluminium
from showing its reactivity.
Order of metals to react with water, acids and oxygen;
With water
Metal Reaction description Reaction equation
K A piece of potassium reacts vigorously with cold
water. It darts around on the surface of water, melts to 2K (s) + 2H2O (l) 2KOH (aq) + H2 (g)
a silvery ball and hydrogen gas is produced as well as
KOH (aq)
Na A small piece of sodium when placed in water will
dart on the surface of water, melts to a white silvery 2Na (s) + 2H2O (l) 2NaOH (aq) + H2 (g)
ball and liberate hydrogen leaving a solution of
NaOH (aq)
Ca It reacts moderately with cold water liberating
hydrogen. As the reaction proceeds the solution 2Ca (s) + 2H2O (l) Ca(OH)2 (aq) + H2 (g)
become milky. This is because Ca(OH)2 (aq) which is
slightly soluble in water.
Mg These metals do no react with water but can react Mg (s) + H2O (g) MgO (s) + H2 (g)
Al with steam to form hydrogen and respective oxides. 2Al (s) + 3H2O (g) Al2O3 (s) + 3H2 (g)
Zn (s) + H2O (g) ZnO (s) + H2 (g)
Zn
 Fe Fe (s) + H2O (g) FeO (s) + H2 (g)
Cu
Ag Do not react with water nor steam
Au

With acids
Metal Reaction description Reaction equation
K Potassium and sodium react explosively to form 2K (s) + 2HCl (aq) 2KCl (aq) + H2 (g)
Na salt and hydrogen and should not be reacted with 2Na (s) + 2HCl (aq) 2NaCl (aq) + H2 (g)
acids
Ca
Mg They react quite well with acids giving salts and Mg (s) + 2HCl (aq) MgCl2 (aq) + H2 (g)
Al hydrogen gas Al (s) + 2HCl (aq) AlCl3 (aq) + H2 (g)
Zn Zn (s) + 2HCl (aq) ZnCl2 (aq) + H2 (g)
Fe Fe (s) + 2HCl (aq) FeCl2 (aq) + H2 (g)
Pb They do not react with dilute acids. But copper
Cu reacts with concentrated and warm acid
Ag
Au

With oxygen
Metal Reaction description Reaction equation
K They burn brightly in air forming a white 4K (s) + O2 (g) 2K2O (s)
Na compound. K and Na are easily oxidised forming 4Na (s) + O2 (g) 2Na2O (s)
Ca oxides. 2Ca (s) + O2 (g) 2CaO (s)
Mg
Al React with oxygen if they are in powder form. 4Al (s) + O2 (g) 2Al2O3 (s)
Zn Aluminium and zinc leaves a white ash while iron 2Zn (s) + O2 (g) 2ZnO (s)
Fe leaves a black solid. NB ZnO is yellow when hot 2Fe (s) + O2 (g) 2FeO (s)
but white when cold. Fe rusts in the presence of
water and oxygen forming a red brown powder.
Pb They react slowly on the surface. Lead forms a
Cu yellow powder. Copper forms a black coating.
Hg Mercury forms a red coating. Silver and aluminium
Ag do not react with oxygen
Au
 EXTRACTION OF IRON FROM HAEMATITE

Iron is extracted from its ore (haematite) in a blast furnace. The blast furnace is loaded with
• Haematite (iron ore)
• Coke (carbon)
• Limestone (calcium carbonate)
Hot air is blown into the furnace near the bottom through the holes known as the tuyers.
A number of chemical reactions then follow:
1. Coke reacts with oxygen in the hot air giving carbon dioxide
C (s) + O2 (g) CO2 (g)
2. Limestone decomposes to lime (Cao) and carbon dioxide
CaCO3 (s) CaO (s) + CO2 (g)
3. The carbon dioxide reacts with more coke giving carbon monoxide
C (s) + CO2 (g) 2CO (g)
 4. Carbon monoxide reacts with Iron (iii) Oxide in the ore, forming liquid iron which
trickles to the bottom of the furnace.
Fe2O3 (s) + 3CO (g) 2Fe (l) + 3CO2 (g)
The calcium oxide formed from the decomposition of limestone reacts with acidic impurities
such as silica (contains mainly sand) to form slag (calcium silicate, CaSiO3).
SiO2 (s) + CaO (s) CaSiO3 (l)
Slag is used for making foundations for roads and buildings. Slag also trickles to the bottom
of the furnace and floats on top of molten iron because it is less dense.

Some metals and their ores

Metal Name of the ore Compound present
Aluminium Bauxite Aluminium oxide, Al2O3
Copper Copper pyrites Copper iron sulphide, CuFeS2
Sodium Rock salt Sodium chloride, NaCl
Zinc Zinc-blende Zinc sulphide, ZnS
Lead Galena Lead (ii) sulphide, PbS

ACTION OF HEAT ON COMPOUNDS

(a) Nitrates
Nitrates of potassium and sodium decompose on heating to give metal nitrites and oxygen
heat
gas. E.g. KNO3 (s) 2KNO2 (s) + O2 (g)
Nitrates of calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, lead and copper decomposes to give their
respective metal oxides, nitrogen dioxide and oxygen gas.
heat
e.g. Zn(NO3)2 (s) ZnO (s) NO2 (g) + O2 (g)
Nitrates of Silver and Gold decompose to give metal, nitrogen dioxide and oxygen
because their metal oxides are unstable.
(b) Metal hydroxides
Hydroxides of potassium and sodium do not decompose on heating because they are very
stable.
Other metal hydroxides decompose to give metal oxides and steam.
e.g. Ca(OH)2 (s) CaO (s) + H2O (g)
(c) Metal oxides
Oxides of metals from potassium to copper in the reactivity series do not decompose on
heating because they are very stable. Oxides of silver and gold decompose when heated to
form metal and oxygen.
 (d) Metal carbonates
All carbonates decompose on heating to give metal oxide and carbon dioxide except oxides
of potassium and sodium which are not affected by heat.

STEEL MAKING
The iron that comes out of the blast furnace is called pig iron or cast iron. It contains about
4% of carbon (main impurity) and other impurities such as sulphur, phosphorus and silicon.
These impurities makes the iron brittle. In order to improve the quality of the metal most of
the impurities must be removed and in doing this, steel is produced. The impurities are
removed in the basic oxygen furnace. In this process;
1. The pig iron is poured into the furnace.
2. Oxygen is blown into the surface of the molten metal and carbon is oxidised into
carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide gases.
3. Silicon is oxidised to silicon (iv) oxide (SiO2), sulphur is oxidised to sulphur dioxide
and phosphorus to phosphorus pentoxide.
4. Lime (calcium oxide) is added to remove solid oxides as slag
5. Samples are continuously checked for carbon content and when the required amount
of carbon has been reached, the blast of oxygen is turned off.
Various amounts of other elements such as manganese, cobalt, chromium tungsten e.t.c are
added to make steel alloys. E.g Mild steel (99.5% Fe, 0.5% C) and stainless steel (74% Fe,
18% Cr, 8% Ni)

The basic oxygen furnace

 ALLOYS
An alloy is a mixture of metals or a mixture of metals and non metals. Alloys are formed
by mixing molten metals.
Reasons for alloying
• To increase hardness and strength of metals
• To reduce corrosion
• To improve appearance or make metals look attractive

Properties and uses of alloys

Alloy Composition Properties Uses
Brass 65% Copper Harder than pure copper In jewellery, machine bearings, electrical
35% Zinc Does not corrode connections, door furniture.
Bronze 90% Copper Stronger and harder than Castings, machine parts, statues, church bells.
105 Tin Copper
Duralmin 95% Aluminium Low density Aeroplane and ship bodies
4% Copper Strong
1% Mg, Mn and
Fe
Mild steel 99.7% Iron Harder and stronger than Car bodies, large structures, window frames
0.3% Carbon iron and does not rust
Stainless 74% Iron Harder and stronger than Cutlery, kitchen sinks, surgical instruments
steel 18% Chromium iron and does not rust
8% Nickel
Solder 70% Tin Low melting and boiling Connecting electrical wires, pipes
10% Lead point than tin or lead
Tungsten 95% Iron Tough, hard even at high Edges of high speed cutting tools
steel 5% Tungsten temperatures
Hard steel 99% Fe Tough and brittle Cutting tools, chisels, razor blades
1% C
Manganese 87% Fe Tough, springy Drill bits, springs
steel 13% Mn

Uses and properties of metals

Metal Properties Uses
Copper Good conductor of electricity Making electric wires and cables
Malleable and ductile Making coins, ornaments like shields, earrings etc
Red brown in colour
Good conductor of heat Making soldering equipments due to its high thermal
Burns in air with a blue-green flame conductivity
forming black copper (ii) oxide Making alloys such as brass, bronze, and german
Does not react with cold water or steam silver (copper, silver and nickel)
Zinc Good conductor of electricity As negative electrodes in dry batteries
Good conductor of heat Making alloys such as brass (copper and zinc)
Malleable and ductile
Bluish white in colour
 Does not react with cold water but react Galvanizing iron sheets to prevent rusting
with steam to form hydrogen and an
oxide
Aluminium Good conductor of electricity Making electric cables because it is a good conductor
Good conductor of heat and light.
Malleable and ductile Manufacture of utensils, its utensils do not corrode
Silvery white in colour easily. This is because the layer of the oxide formed
Reacts slowly with air stops further corrosion.
Reacts with chlorine forming a chloride In making air craft parts because it is soft and light
In extraction of other metals like manganese,
chromium and iron from their ores. Aluminium being
more reactive than these metals reduces their oxides
to metals.