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Electronegativity is a measure of the tendency of an atom to attract a bonding pair of electrons. In the periodic table, electronegativity generally increases across a period from left to right and decreases down a group.
Metals, such as sodium and iron, have low electronegativity. This means they do not attract electrons strongly.
Non-metals, like fluorine and oxygen, are high in electronegativity. They attract electrons more strongly because they need electrons to form stable compounds.

• Metals: Low electronegativity
• Non-metals: High electronegativity

When metals and non-metals react chemically, these differences in electronegativity play a key role. The lower electronegativity of metals means they lose electrons easily, thereby forming cations. On the other hand, the high electronegativity of non-metals helps them gain electrons or share them, resulting in anions or covalent bonds.

Ionization energy refers to the amount of energy required to remove an electron from an isolated atom in its gaseous state. Like electronegativity, ionization energy varies across the periodic table. It increases across a period and decreases down a group.
Metals have low ionization energies. This characteristic means they can lose electrons easily. For instance, sodium has a low ionization energy, making it highly reactive and quick to form positive ions.
Non-metals, in contrast, possess high ionization energies. This makes it difficult for non-metal atoms to lose electrons. For example, chlorine has a high ionization energy and tends to gain electrons in reactions, becoming a negative ion.

• Metals: Low ionization energy
• Non-metals: High ionization energy

Thus, high or low ionization energy influences whether an element will more readily lose or gain electrons during chemical reactions. This is crucial in distinguishing the behavior of metals and non-metals.

Chemical reactivity describes how readily an element will engage in a chemical reaction. The reactivity of metals and non-metals is influenced by their electronegativity and ionization energy.
Metals are usually highly reactive. This strong reactivity is due to their tendency to lose electrons easily and form positive ions. For example, sodium reacts vigorously with water to form sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas.
Non-metals, on the other hand, react differently based on their high electronegativity. Their ability to gain or share electrons determines their reactivity. For instance, chlorine gas reacts with sodium to form sodium chloride by gaining an electron.

• Metals: React by losing electrons (oxidation)
• Non-metals: React by gaining electrons (reduction) or sharing electrons

Understanding these differences helps in predicting and explaining how different elements behave in various chemical reactions.