Question

Define a non-metal. Arrange the major non metallic elements present in the earth crust in decreasing

order of their percentage of occurrence.​

Answer 1

Answer:

In chemistry, a nonmetal is a chemical element that mostly lacks the characteristics of a metal. Physically, a nonmetal tends to have a relatively low melting point, boiling point, and density. A nonmetal is typically brittle when solid and usually has poor thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity.

Answer 2

A non-metal, as the word suggests, is an element that does not fall into the category of metals.

• Non-metals have characteristics that are fundamentally different from those of metals.
• Some of the major defining features of non-metals include their poor conductivity of heat and electricity, their dull appearance and their low melting point.
• Non-metals are also, obviously, structurally different from metals. While metals have 1, 2 or 3 electrons in their outer shell, non-metals have 5, 6 or 7 elements in their outer shell.
• This means that non-metals achieve stability by gaining electrons rather than shedding them.
• Non-metals include elements in gaseous as well as solid forms, in comparison to metals which are solid save a few exceptions.
• Some examples of non-metals are nitrogen, carbon, calcium etc.
• The earth's crust contains a variety of non-metallic elements in varying proportions. Arranging the major non-metals in the crust in decreasing order of their percentage of occurrence, we have-

1. Oxygen (46.1%) - the most abundant element in the crust

2. Silicon (28.2%)

3. Calcium (4.2%)

4. Hydrogen (0.1%)

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