Chemical Compounds| All About It

Chemical Compounds Class 6

The basic aim of science is not only to study and understand natural phenomena but also to use this knowledge to make our lives more comfortable. Science and technology have enabled us to develop more economical and convenient methods to recover useful materials from nature and to put them in various uses. Chemistry has enabled us to synthesize new materials which have desired properties. Thus, making them even better than natural materials.

We need different types of materials to meet our daily needs. Some of them are obtained from nature while others are prepared by man. The materials that we get from nature are called natural materials. Wood, silk, cotton, leather, rubber, coal, etc. are natural materials. However, some materials that we use are manmade.

Synthetic textiles like terylene and nylon, cement, glass, plastics, dyes, soap, detergents, fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides are some man-made materials which are commonly used.

1.0Useful Elements

Aluminium foil is used for packing of food items.

Of the 92 naturally occurring elements, about 70 are metals and the rest are non-metals. In this chapter, we shall examine the uses of metals and non-metals both in their pure form and in combination with other elements.

Metals and non-metals : Metals and non-metals have been in the service of man for thousands of years now. The usefulness of metals and non - metals depends on their general properties.

Note : Aluminium is widely used for about not more than 150 years while Iron has been used for over 3500 years.

2.0Comparative Study of the Properties

A comparative study of the general properties of metals and non - metals is given in the table.

	Properties	Metals	Non - metals
1	Physical state	Metals are generally solids at room temperature. (Exception; Mercury is the only metal occurring in the liquid state at room temperature).	Non-metals are generally solids or gases at room temperature. (Exception: Bromine is the only non - metal known to exist as a liquid at room temperature).
2	Lustrous	Metals possess a shiny lustre.	They have a dull appearance. (Exceptions: Graphite and iodine show some lustre).
3	Density	Metals have high density (Exception : sodium and potassium have low densities).	Non-metals generally have low density (Diamond has high density).
4	Hardness	Most metals are hard and strong. However, some like sodium and potassium are so soft that they can be cut with a knife.	They are soft, except for diamonds.
5	Melting point and Boiling point	Metals have both high melting point and boiling point.	Non-metals have both low melting and low boiling points. (Exception : graphite, a form of carbon, and silicon, both have high melting points. Graphite and boron have high boiling points).
6	Malleability	Metals are malleable. Malleability is the property by virtue of which metals can be beaten into thin sheets.	They are brittle. They break when struck with a hard substance.
7	Ductility	Metals are ductile. Ductility is the property by virtue of which metals can be drawn into fine wires without breaking.	Non-metals are non-ductile.
8	Tensile strength	Metals have high tensile strength i.e., they can bear a lot of strain (Exception : zinc.)	Non-metals have low tensile strength (Exception : carbon fibre).
9	Conductivity	Metals are good conductors of heat and electricity. Silver is the good conductor of electricity followed by copper.	They are poor conductors of heat and electricity. (Exceptions: Diamond is a good conductor of heat and graphite is a good conductor of electricity).
10	Sonorous	Metals are sonorous.	Non-metals are not sonorous.
11	Alloy formation	Metals combine with other metals to form homogenous solid mixtures, called alloys.	Non-metals generally do not form alloys (Exception : carbon forms an alloy with iron, i.e. steel)
12	Atomicity	They are monoatomic elements, i.e., their molecules contain just one atom.	Mostly they have more than one atom in their molecules. Gaseous non-metals mostly have diatomic molecules. (Exception : inert gases He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, Rn).
13	Solubility	Metals are generally insoluble in water and other organic solvents.	These are both soluble and insoluble.

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Chemical Compounds Class 6

1.0Useful Elements

2.0Comparative Study of the Properties

Table of Content

Fequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between natural and man-made materials?

What are the key properties that distinguish metals from non-metals?

Why is aluminum considered a useful metal?

What is an alloy, and why are they important?

What are some common examples of non-metals and their uses?

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