Metals and Non-Metals — Properties Chemistry Mnemonic
Target: mnemonic for physical and chemical properties of metals and non-metals
Why is this hard to memorize?
This Class 10 chapter is really a long list of comparisons — metals are malleable, non-metals are brittle; metals conduct electricity, most non-metals don't; metals form basic oxides, non-metals form acidic oxides. The exam trap is the EXCEPTIONS: graphite (a non-metal) conducts electricity, mercury (a metal) is liquid, and iodine (a non-metal) is lustrous. A good mnemonic has to carry both the general rule and its named exceptions together, or you'll lose marks on the "give one exception" follow-up question.
Classic mnemonics you should know
"MALDUCS — Malleable, Ductile, Lustrous, Dense, Usually solid, Conduct heat & electricity, Sonorous"
Each letter is one defining physical property of metals. Reciting MALDUCS before a properties question guarantees you list all the standard characteristics without forgetting one.
"Graphite Conducts, Mercury melts, Iodine shines — 'GMI breaks the rules'"
Graphite (non-metal) conducts electricity, mercury (metal) is liquid at room temperature, and iodine (non-metal) has a lustrous/shiny appearance. Remembering just these three named exceptions covers almost every 'exception to the rule' question CBSE asks.
"Metal Oxide = Basic (like a metal being the 'boss'), Non-metal Oxide = Acidic (non-metals are 'not the boss')"
Linking 'metal = basic' and 'non-metal = acidic' oxides through the wordplay on 'boss/not-the-boss' fixes the oxide-nature question, which appears almost every year in some form.
The complete list
- Malleability — metals can be hammered into thin sheets; non-metals are brittle and break
- Ductility — metals can be drawn into wires; non-metals cannot
- Conductivity — metals conduct heat and electricity well; most non-metals are poor conductors (exception: graphite conducts)
- Lustre — metals have a shiny surface when freshly cut; non-metals are usually dull (exception: iodine is lustrous)
- Sonorous nature — metals produce a ringing sound when struck; non-metals do not
- Physical state — most metals are solid at room temperature (exception: mercury is liquid); non-metals can be solid, liquid or gas
- Reaction with oxygen — metals form basic oxides; non-metals form acidic oxides
- Reaction with dilute acids — reactive metals displace hydrogen gas from dilute acids; non-metals generally do not react
- Reaction with water — reactive metals (like sodium, potassium) react vigorously with water; non-metals do not react with water
Frequently asked questions
Which non-metal conducts electricity?
Graphite (an allotrope of carbon) is a non-metal that conducts electricity — the classic exception CBSE tests, because it has free electrons available due to its layered structure, unlike other non-metals.
Which metal is liquid at room temperature?
Mercury is the well-known exception — it is a metal but exists as a liquid at room temperature, unlike almost every other metal, which is solid.
Do metals form basic or acidic oxides?
Metals generally form basic oxides (e.g. sodium oxide, Na₂O, is basic), while non-metals generally form acidic oxides (e.g. sulphur dioxide, SO₂, is acidic). Some metal oxides, like aluminium oxide, are amphoteric — they react with both acids and bases.
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