What are Metals?

About 75% of the elements in the periodic table are metals. Metals are known to conduct electricity and heat well. Many metals are durable, lustrous and hard. They are also generally ductile, which means they can be shaped without breaking or cracking.

Types of Metals

There are all kinds of metals. The periodic table lists metals as pure elements. This means they are all made of the same atom. These metals include many of the elements you may already be familiar with, such as iron, gold, silver, and platinum. There are other elements like sodium and potassium that you wouldn’t normally think of as metals.

The periodic table divides the metallic elements into different categories, including alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, and transition metals, to name a few.

Alloys

Many of the metals we use today are alloys. Alloys are metals that combine two or more elements. They may also be called metal compounds. Alloys are usually stronger and harder than pure metals.

Steel is a very durable alloy. There are many types of steel alloys. An electric current is made of iron combined with a small amount of carbon. The stainless steel we use for kitchen utensils and appliances is chrome steel. Steel is used in almost every industry worldwide.

Aluminum alloy is also important. Aluminum is one of the most abundant elements on earth. When combined with other elements such as copper and silicon, it can form a strong but light alloy. It also doesn’t rust like many metals. Aluminum is used to make all sorts of items such as airplanes, soda cans, ladders and golf clubs.

Copper was one of the first alloys used to make tools. Bronze is a combination of copper and tin.

Mining and Making Metal

Metals are found inside rocks in mines. These rocks are called ores. To separate the other minerals in the rock from the metal, the ore is heated to very hot temperatures in a process called smelting.

Recycling

Since metal mining is harmful to the environment and expensive, we have to recycle the metals we have used after they are finished. It can save energy, costs and help the environment. For example, it takes only 5% more energy to recycle an aluminum can than to extract the same amount of aluminum from the ground.

Interesting Facts about Metals

Silver conducts electricity better than any other metal.

Brass is an alloy made of zinc and copper.

Pure gold is too soft for many things, so most gold is combined with other metals to make it harder. 24 karat gold is 100% pure gold. Most jewelry is made from 18k gold, 75% gold and 25% other metals.

World periods are usually listed by metal used. The history before the use of metal is known as the Stone Age. Next was the Bronze Age, followed by the Iron Age.

The science that studies metals is called metallurgy.