Revision Notes: Class 10 Science Chapter 3 Metals and Non-metals

A fast, one-glance recap of Class 10 Science Chapter 3 (Metals and Non-metals) — for the full worked explanations, see the Solutions. These Class 10 Science Chapter 3 notes are ideal for quick revision just before exams.

Last Updated: October 24, 2026

Common Mistakes Students Make in Metals and Non-metals

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Revision Notes: Metals and Non-metals

• Physical properties of metals: lustrous, malleable (can be beaten into sheets), ductile (can be drawn into wires), sonorous, good conductors of heat and electricity, generally solid at room temperature (mercury is a liquid exception)
• Physical properties of non-metals: generally dull (except iodine), brittle, poor conductors (except graphite), can be solid, liquid (bromine) or gas at room temperature
• Metal + Oxygen → Metal oxide (basic in nature) — e.g. 2Mg + O2 → 2MgO
• Amphoteric oxides: react with both acids and bases — e.g. Al2O3, ZnO
• Non-metal + Oxygen → Non-metallic oxide (acidic or neutral) — e.g. S + O2 → SO2 (turns moist blue litmus red)
• Metal + Water → Metal oxide/hydroxide + Hydrogen (reactivity dependent: K and Na react violently with cold water; Ca, Mg react with water more mildly; Al, Fe, Zn react only with steam; Pb, Cu, Ag, Au do not react with water at all)
• Metal + Dilute acid → Salt + Hydrogen (only metals above hydrogen in the reactivity series; test: burning splinter gives a pop sound)
• Reactivity series (high to low): K > Na > Ca > Mg > Al > Zn > Fe > Pb > (H) > Cu > Ag > Au
• Displacement reaction: a more reactive metal displaces a less reactive metal from its salt solution — e.g. Fe + CuSO4 → FeSO4 + Cu
• Ionic (electrovalent) compounds: formed by transfer of electrons between a metal and a non-metal; generally have high melting/boiling points, are soluble in water, insoluble in solvents like kerosene/petrol, and conduct electricity only when molten or in solution (not as solids)
• Occurrence of metals: highly reactive metals (K, Na, Ca, Mg, Al) occur as oxides/carbonates/chlorides/sulphates; moderately reactive metals (Zn, Fe, Pb, Cu) occur mainly as sulphides/carbonates; least reactive metals (Au, Ag, Pt) occur as free elements
• Extraction steps: (1) Enrichment/concentration of ore (e.g. froth flotation for sulphide ores) → (2) Conversion to oxide (calcination for carbonate ores, roasting for sulphide ores) → (3) Reduction of oxide to metal (using carbon, or by electrolysis for very reactive metals, or using a more reactive metal like aluminium in the thermit reaction) → (4) Refining (commonly electrolytic refining) to obtain the pure metal
• Thermit reaction: Fe2O3 + 2Al → 2Fe + Al2O3 + heat — used to weld railway tracks/cracked machine parts
• Electrolytic refining: impure metal = anode, pure metal strip = cathode, salt solution of the same metal = electrolyte; pure metal deposits at the cathode, impurities settle as anode mud
• Corrosion: gradual destruction of metals by reaction with substances in their environment (e.g. iron → rusting, copper → green tarnish, silver → black tarnish)
• Preventing corrosion: painting, oiling/greasing, galvanising (zinc coating), alloying, electroplating
• Alloys: homogeneous mixtures of two or more metals (or a metal and a non-metal) that improve on the properties of the pure metal — e.g. stainless steel (Fe + Cr + Ni, rust-resistant), brass (Cu + Zn), bronze (Cu + Sn), solder (Pb + Sn, low melting point)
• Aqua regia: freshly prepared 3:1 mixture of concentrated HCl and concentrated HNO3; can dissolve gold and platinum, which do not react with either acid alone

See also: Extra Questions (HOTS) | Class 10 Science Formulas Handbook

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the reactivity series and why is it important in this chapter?
It is an ordering of metals from most to least reactive (K, Na, Ca, Mg, Al, Zn, Fe, Pb, H, Cu, Ag, Au); it is important because it predicts which metal will displace another from a compound and determines the extraction method suitable for each metal.

Why are alloys used instead of pure metals in many applications?
Alloys (mixtures of a metal with other elements) often have improved properties compared to the pure metal — such as greater strength, better resistance to corrosion, or a more suitable hardness — for example, stainless steel resists rusting far better than pure iron.

What to Revise First (and Last) in Metals and Non-metals

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Written by Satish

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