How do the different properties of metals and non-metals determine their uses in everyday life?
The properties of metals and non-metals directly determine their practical applications in everyday life.
Metals are lustrous, malleable, ductile, sonorous, and good conductors of heat and electricity. These properties make metals ideal for specific uses.
Their malleability allows them to be beaten into thin sheets for making aluminium foil used in food packaging and silver foil for decorating sweets.
Their ductility enables them to be drawn into wires for electrical fittings and musical instruments. Their sonority makes them suitable for bells and musical instruments like ghungroos.
Their excellent heat conductivity makes them perfect for cooking vessels, and their electrical conductivity makes them essential for electrical wiring and circuits.
Non-metals have different properties—they are generally non-lustrous, soft, brittle, and poor conductors—which determine their uses.
Oxygen is essential for respiration; carbon is the building block of all life forms; nitrogen is used in fertilisers for plant growth; chlorine is used in water purification; and iodine is used as an antiseptic on wounds.
The distinct properties of each category of elements make them suitable for specific applications where those properties are advantageous.
Explanation
The chapter comprehensively covers properties of metals (malleability, ductility, sonority, conductivity of heat and electricity) in sections 4.1.1 through 4.1.5, and uses of non-metals in section 4.5. Each property is linked to practical applications: malleability to foils and sheets, ductility to wires, sonority to bells, conductivity to cooking vessels and electrical wiring. The Science and Society section also mentions alloys used in utensils, tools, atomic energy, and aerospace.
Solution Steps
Metals possess properties of lustrous appearance, malleability, ductility, sonority, and good conductivity of heat and electricity
Malleability of metals allows them to be beaten into thin sheets like aluminium foil for food packaging and silver foil for decorating sweets
Ductility enables metals to be drawn into wires for electrical fittings and musical instruments
Sonority makes metals suitable for bells and musical instruments like ghungroos
Heat conductivity makes metals perfect for cooking vessels
Electrical conductivity makes metals essential for electrical wiring and circuits
Non-metals are generally non-lustrous, soft, brittle, and poor conductors
Oxygen is essential for respiration; carbon is the building block of all life forms
Nitrogen is used in fertilisers for plant growth; chlorine is used in water purification; iodine is used as an antiseptic on wounds
The distinct properties of metals and non-metals make each category suitable for specific applications