NCERT Notes for Class 8 Science

Class 8 Science – Metals and Non-Metals

1. Which of the following can be beaten into thin sheets?

(a) Zinc (b) Phosphorus (c) Sulphur (d) Oxygen.

Ans: (a) Zinc. It can be beaten into thin sheets.

2. Which of the following statements is correct?

a. All metals are ductile.

b. All non-metals are ductile.

c. Generally, metals are ductile.

d. Some non-metals are ductile.

Ans: (c) Generally, metals are ductile. Mercury, on the other hand, is a
liquid metal that cannot be formed into thin wires and is not ductile at
normal temperature.

3. Fill in the blanks in the following statements.

a. Phosphorus is a very ____ non-metal.

Ans: Phosphorus is a very reactive non-metal.

b. Metals are ____ conductors of heat and ______.

Ans: Metals are good conductors of heat and electricity.

c. Iron is ______ reactive than copper.

Ans: Iron is more reactive than copper.

d. Metals react with acids to produce _______ gas.

Ans: Metals react with acids to produce hydrogen gas.

4. Mark 'T' if the statement is true and 'F' if it is false.

(i) Generally, non-metals react with acids. ( )

Ans: (F)

(ii) Sodium is a very reactive metal. ( )

Ans: (T)

(iii) Copper displaces zinc from zinc sulphate solution. ( )

Ans: (F)

(iv) Coal can be drawn into wires. ( )

Ans: (F)

5. Some properties are listed in the following table. Distinguish

between metals and nonmetals on the basis of these
properties.

Properties Metals Non-metals

1. Appearance
2. Hardness
3. Malleability
4. Ductility
5. Heat Conduction
6. Conduction of Electricity

Ans:

Properties Metals Non-metals

Malleability Can be beaten into thin Cannot be beaten into

sheets thin sheets

Ductility Can be drawn into thin Cannot be drawn into

 wires thin wires

Appearance Lustrous Dull

Hardness Hard Soft

Conduction of Good conductors of Poor conductors of

Electricity electricity electricity

Good conductors of
Heat Conduction Poor conductors of heat
heat

6. Give reasons for the following.

a. Aluminium foils are used to wrap food items.

Ans: Food is wrapped in aluminium foil because the metal can be

drawn into thin sheets (malleable).

b. Immersion rods for heating liquids are made up of metallic

substances.

Ans: Metal immersion rods are used to heat liquids because metals
are excellent heat and electrical conductors.

c. Copper cannot displace zinc from its salt solution.

Ans: Because Copper is less reactive than Zinc, it cannot displace

Zinc from its salt solution. Metal reactivity series can help you
understand this better.

Cu(s) + ZnSO (aq) → No reaction

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d. Sodium and potassium are stored in kerosene.

Ans: Because sodium and potassium are very reactive with oxygen
in the atmosphere, they are kept in kerosene.

7. Can you store the lemon pickle in an aluminium utensil? Explain.

Ans: Lemon pickle includes acids, thus it cannot be preserved in
aluminium utensils.
Acids react with aluminium, releasing hydrogen, causing the pickle to
spoil.

8. Match the substances given in Column A with their uses given in

Column B.

A B

(i) Gold (a) Thermometers

(ii) Iron (b) Electric wire

(iii) Aluminium (c) Wrapping food

(iv) Carbon (d) Jewellery

(v) Copper (e) Machinery

(vi) Mercury (f) Fuel

Ans:
A B

(i) Gold (d) Jewellery

(ii) Iron (e) Machinery

(iii) Aluminium (c) Wrapping food

(iv) Carbon (f) Fuel

(v) Copper (b) Electric wire

(vi) Mercury (a) Thermometers

9. What happens when

a. Dilute sulphuric acid is poured on a copper plate?

b. Iron nails are placed in copper sulphate solution?

Write word equations of the reactions involved.

Ans:

 When dilute sulphuric acid is poured on a copper plate, the copper

metal reacts with the sulphuric acid, releasing hydrogengas.

Copper(Cu) + Sulphuric acid(H SO ) -------> Copper sulphate(CuSO ) +

2 4 4

Hydrogen gas(H )2

 When a copper sulphate solution is used to soak an iron nail.

Copper is displaced by iron in a copper sulphate solution, resulting
in copper and iron sulphate. Copper is less reactive than iron.

Iron(Fe) + Copper sulphate(CuSO ) -------> Iron sulphate(FeSO ) +

4 4

Copper(Cu)

10. Saloni took a piece of burning charcoal and collected the gas
evolved in a test tube.

a. How will she find the nature of the gas?

Ans: When a few drops of water are added to a gas-filled test tube.
In water, gas is dissolved. Use blue litmus to test the gas and water
solution. The blue litmus changes colour to red, indicating that the
gas is acidic.

b. Write down word equations of all the reactions taking place in

this process.

Ans: Charcoal releases CO when it is burnt. CO is a greenhouse

2 2

gas.

C + O 2 -------> CO 2
 (Carbon

from

charcoal) (Oxygen) (Carbon

Dioxide)

Carbonic acid is formed when carbon dioxide gas combines with

water, turning blue litmus red.

CO 2 + HO2 -------> H CO
2 3

(Carbon Dioxide) (Water) (Carbonic

acid)

(Turns blue litmus

red)

11. One day Reeta went to a jeweller’s shop with her mother. Her
mother gave old gold jewellery to the goldsmith to polish. The next
day when they brought the jewelry back, they found that there was a
slight loss in its weight. Can you suggest a reason for the loss of
weight?

Ans: The ancient gold jewellery is soaked in a solution called Aqua Regia
to polish it (1:3 molar ratio of HNO and HCl). Aqua Regia dissolves the
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outer layer of the golden jewellery. The removal of the outer layer reduces
the weight of gold jewellery.