What properties do metals have in common?
Answers
Luster: Metals are shiny when cut, scratched, or polished.
Malleability: Metals are strong but malleable, which means that they can be easily bent or shaped. For centuries, smiths have been able to shape metal objects by heating metal and pounding it with a hammer. If they tried this with nonmetals, the material would shatter! Most metals are also ductile, which means they can be drawn out to make wire.
Conductivity: Metals are excellent conductors of electricity and heat. Because they are also ductile, they are ideal for electrical wiring. (You can test this using some household items. Keep reading to find out how!)
These are some of the most important characteristics of metals, but there are other ones as well. Most metals have high melting points and all except mercury are solid at room temperature. They are also sonorous – they often make a ringing sound when hit.
Metals share many characteristics, but they don’t all have the same reactivity. Some metals don’t react at all with other metals, and because of this they can be found in a pure form (examples are gold and platinum). Because copper is relatively inexpensive and has a low reactivity, it’s useful for making pipes and wiring. Other metals are highly reactive and combine easily with other elements, such as oxygen. These metals are never found in a pure form, and are difficult to separate from the minerals they are found in. Potassium and sodium are the most reactive metals. They react violently with air and water; potassium will ignite on contact with water!