MAIN POINTS OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN METALS AND NON-METALS
| Metals | Non-Metals |
| Metals are malleable and ductile. | .Non- metals are brittle (break easily). They are neither malleable nor ductile. |
| Metals are good conductors of heat and electricity. | Non-metals are bad conductors of heat and electricity. Except for graphite which is a good conduction of electricity. |
| Metals are lustrous and can be polished. | Non-metals are non-lustrous (dull) and cannot be polished. Except for iodine |
| Metals are solids at room temperature.Except for mercury which is a liquid metal. | Non-metals may be solid, liquid or gases at the room temperature. |
| Metals are strong and tough. | Non-metals are not strong or tough. |
DIFFERENCES IN CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
| Metals | Non-Metals |
| Metals form basic oxides. | Non-metals form acidic oxides or neutral oxides |
| Metals displace hydrogen from water (or steam). | Non-metals do not react with water (or steam) |
| Metals displace hydrogen from dilute acids. | Non-metals do not react with dilute acids |
| Metals form ionic chlorides with chlorine.. | Non-metals form covalent chlorides with chlorine, |
| Metals usually do not combine with hydrogen. Only a few reactive metals combine with hydrogen to form ionic metal hydrides. | Non- metals react with hydrogen to form stable, covalent hydrides. |
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