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Metals and Non-metals: Revealing the Properties, Classification, and Applications

December 16, 2023 628 0

Exploring the Diversity and Classification in Our Daily Lives

The things which we all use in our daily life are made up of different types of materials. All these materials have mass, shape and are classified based on many criteria, including their physical states, properties of materials, etc.

Properties of Materials: Appearance, Solubility and Degree of Transparency

  • Based on the different properties, materials can be differentiated into their respective groups. 
    •  State of Matter: At first, the materials can be sorted into their groups based on the 3 states of matter- 
      • Solids
      •  Liquids and
      •  Gases
    • Appearance: The second criteria used for sorting the materials is based on their appearance. 
      • The appearance of materials varies in colour, texture, hardness, softness and lustre.
    • Solubility: The third criteria used to sort the materials are based on their solubility. The solubility depends on soluble and insoluble materials in water. 
      • Example: Salt and sugar are soluble in water. Chalk and sand are insoluble in water.
    • Metal/Non-metal: The fourth criteria used to sort the materials is based on the metal and non-metals. 
      • Iron, copper, and gold are examples of metals and coal, chalk, and rubber are examples of non-metals.
    • Degree of Transparency: The fifth criteria used to sort the materials is based on the light transmission through objects, which includes Opaque, Translucent and Transparent.

Criteria and Need of Classification:

  • Classification makes everything easier and orderly for better understanding.
  • Materials can be classified based on several properties:
    • Transparency
    • Hardness
    • Soluble and Insoluble
    • Float and Sink

Materials and Their Classification

  • Materials are classified based on similarities in their properties, such as appearance, hardness, transparency, solubility or density.

Revealing Material Appearances through Lustrous and Non-Lustrous Qualities, with a Focus on Metal Polishing

Revealing Material Appearances through Lustrous and Non-Lustrous Qualities, with a Focus on Metal Polishing

  • Polishing: Materials can be differentiated from each other based on their looks. 
    • Some, like diamond and gold, are shiny and are termed lustrous materials.
    • Some other materials, like graphite and wood, do not appear shiny and are generally known as non-lustrous materials.
  • Polishing: Metal Polishing is a method of improving the durability and texture of metal surfaces as they are much less likely to wear or corrode. 
    • It acts as a protective shield against metal surfaces because it stops oxidation.

Exploring Toughness, Strength, and the Dichotomy of Soft and Hard Substances

  • Toughness: The property of material to withstand stress without breaking is termed as toughness.
    • Strength and Ductility: A material with high strength and high ductility will have more toughness than a material with low strength and high ductility.
    • Soft/Hard Substances: Materials that can be compressed or deformed easily are referred to as soft substances. 
      • Whereas materials that are difficult to bend or 

Exploring Solubility in Water and Distinguishing Between Soluble and Insoluble Substances

  •  Some substances completely disappear or dissolve in water. 
    • These substances are soluble in water.
  • Other substances do not mix with water and do not disappear even after we stir for a long time. 
    • These substances are insoluble in water.

Some objects float in water while others sink in it.

Understanding Material Floatation in Fluids and the Science of Sinking and Floating

  • Buoyancy: The upward force applied by the fluid on the object or the body when an object is put in or submerged in the fluid is termed as Buoyancy.
    • Materials can be classified based on the sinking or floating in water: A leaf floats on water, on other hand a metal spoon will sink into the water.

Density: the Mass and Volume Connection in Materials and its Impact on Buoyancy

  • Definition: Density is defined as mass per unit volume of a given object. One can think of it as the amount of particles of a substance packed into a certain amount of space.
    • If the particles are packed tightly together, the density would be greater than if they are loosely packed with a lot of empty space around them.
    • Density is the reason some objects sink, and other objects float.
    • The  SI unit is kg/m3.

Optical Phenomena: Categorizing Materials by their Light Transmission Properties into Transparent, Translucent, and Opaque

  • Materials can be grouped into three main categories based on their ability to transmit light.
    • Transparent: An object which allows visible light to pass through it is called a transparent object. We can clearly see through a transparent object. 
      • Example:– glass, fish tank.
    • Translucent: An object, which allows partial passage to light is called a translucent object. 
      • Example:-plastic bottle, paper cup.
    • Opaque: An object which does not allow passage to light is called an opaque object. We cannot see through an opaque object.
      • Example:-wood.

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Quick Revise Now !
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD SOON
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Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
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हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध
Quick Revise Now !
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध

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