Chemistry Revision - Practical Test

• Unreactive metals


  Metals such as gold and copper that do not react with acids
• Reactive metals


  Metals such as the alkali metals that react with oxygen
• Copper and iron

  Can also react with oxygen, although much more slowly
• Metal reacting with oxygen


  1. Metal oxide is formed

  2. Example: 2Cu + O₂ → 2CuO
• Metals that react with cold water

  • Form a metal hydroxide and hydrogen gas
  • Example: Ca + 2H₂O → Ca(OH)2 + H₂
• Metals that react with steam

  • Form metal oxide and hydrogen gas
  • Example: Zn + H₂O → ZnO + H₂
• Position of metal in reactivity series

  • Influences method of extraction
  • Metals above carbon have to be extracted using electrolysis
  • Metals below carbon can be extracted by heating with carbon
• Potassium (K) and Sodium (Na)

  React vigorously with cold water, hydrogen gas produced immediately catches fire
• Calcium (Ca)


  Reacts with cold water, but the reaction is not as vigorous
• Magnesium reacting with steam

  1. Magnesium oxide and hydrogen gas are produced

  2. Hydrogen gas ignites when lit splint is placed at end of tube
• Non-metals


  • Not malleable or brittle
  • Not ductile
  • Bad conductors of heat and electricity
  • No lustre
  • Not strong
• Physical state of non-metals

  • May exist in solid, liquid or gaseous state at room temperature
• Melting and boiling points of non-metals

  • Low, except for graphite and diamonds
• Solubility of non-metals


  • Soluble in some chemical or organic solvents
• Density of non-metals


  • Low compared to metals
• Non-metals


  • Not sonorous
• Metals


  • Malleable
  • Ductile
  • Best conductors of electricity and heat
  • Lustrous
  • High tensile strength
  • Sonorous
  • Hard