Malleability: Metals are generally malleable, meaning they can be hammered or rolled into thin sheets without breaking. This is due to the metallic bonding, which allows the metal atoms to slide past each other without disrupting the overall structure. Non-metals are typically brittle and shatter when hammered or rolled. Their bonding is often covalent or ionic, which does not allow for easy rearrangement of atoms.

Ductility: Metals are also generally ductile, meaning they can be drawn into wires without breaking. This is again due to the metallic bonding, which allows the metal atoms to be extended into a continuous strand. Non-metals are usually brittle and do not possess ductility.

Examples:

• Malleable Metals: Gold, Silver, Copper
• Malleable Non-metals: Graphite (can be powdered into a soft, pliable substance)
• Ductile Metals: Copper, Iron, Aluminium
• Ductile Non-metals: (Generally not ductile. Some polymers can be drawn into fibres, but this is not the same as ductility in metals.)

Metals generally have higher melting and boiling points than non-metals. This is primarily due to the nature of the metallic bonding present in metals. Metallic bonding involves a "sea" of delocalised electrons, which are strongly attracted to the positively charged metal ions. A significant amount of energy is required to overcome these strong attractions and separate the atoms, hence the high melting and boiling points.

Non-metals, on the other hand, exhibit various types of bonding, including covalent and ionic. Covalent bonding involves sharing of electrons between atoms, and ionic bonding involves the transfer of electrons between atoms, resulting in electrostatic attraction. While these bonds are strong, they are generally weaker than metallic bonds. Therefore, less energy is required to break these bonds and transition from solid to liquid (melting) or liquid to gas (boiling), leading to lower melting and boiling points compared to metals.

Comparison of Bonding Types:

Metals generally react with dilute acids to produce a salt and hydrogen gas. The reaction rate varies depending on the reactivity of the metal. More reactive metals react more vigorously. The general equation for the reaction is:

• Metal + Dilute Acid → Salt + Hydrogen Gas

Examples:

• Zinc (Zn) reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid (HCl) to produce zinc chloride (ZnCl₂) and hydrogen gas (H₂).
• Magnesium (Mg) reacts with dilute sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) to produce magnesium sulfate (MgSO₄) and hydrogen gas (H₂).

The hydrogen gas produced is flammable and can be ignited. The rate of reaction is influenced by factors such as the concentration of the acid and the surface area of the metal.