Non-metals and water
Generally, they do not react with it.
The quiet substances
A metal like sodium reacts so strongly with water that it must be kept away from it. Do non-metals behave the same way?
A lump of sulfur, a piece of coal and a piece of phosphorus are put in water. What will happen?
What this lesson covers
The idea
Generally, non-metals show no reaction with water.
The quiet substances
A metal like sodium reacts so strongly with water that it must be kept away from it. Do non-metals behave the same way?
A lump of sulfur, a piece of coal and a piece of phosphorus are put in water. What will happen?
- They all react vigorously like sodium
- Nothing happens to them
- They melt away
Four pieces in water
Tap each beaker to put the piece in water. Three are non-metals. One is the metal sodium, for comparison.
Quiet in water
Generally, non-metals show no reaction with water.
Metals like sodium behave very differently with water. That is why we say sulfur and phosphorus "behave differently from metals in air and water".
- Placed in water | Kind | What happens
- Sulfur | non-metal | no reaction
- Coal (mostly carbon) | non-metal | no reaction
- Phosphorus | non-metal | no reaction
- Sodium | metal | vigorous reaction
Notes
Generally, non-metals show no reaction with water. Metals like sodium react vigorously.
Check yourself
What happens when sulfur is placed in water?
Generally, how do non-metals behave with water?
Which of these does NOT show a reaction with water?
Coal is mostly carbon. Carbon is a non-metal. So coal in water will...
- It reacts vigorously. That is sodium, a metal. Sulfur is a non-metal.
- There is no reaction — correct. Yes! Generally, non-metals show no reaction with water.
- It catches fire. Sulfur does not catch fire in water.
- They show no reaction — correct. Yes!
- They react vigorously. That is how sodium, a metal, behaves.
- They give out a lot of heat. Sodium does that. Non-metals generally do not react with water.
- Sodium. Sodium reacts vigorously with water.
- Phosphorus — correct. Yes! It is a non-metal. It is stored under water.
- None of them. Phosphorus shows no reaction with water.
- Show no reaction — correct. Yes! Generally non-metals show no reaction with water.
- React vigorously. That is how sodium behaves.
- Burst into flame. Nothing like that happens.