Metal

Metal in the Periodic Table

A metal is a type of periodic table element that has high electrical and thermal conductivity, and luster, and easily loses electrons to form a cation. Different types of metals constitute three-fourths of the elements in the periodic table. It formed different types of crystals by a metallic bonding.

Metals have various physical and chemical properties. The main physical properties of metals are:

• Metallic lustre: In the pure state, metals have a bright shining surface or have a metallic lustre. Metals like gold, silver, and platinum are known for their shining surface.
• Hardness: Most of the metals are hard. However, the hardness varies from metal to metal. Alkali metals like lithium, sodium, and potassium are so soft. Therefore, they can be easily cut with a knife.
• Ductility: Metals are generally ductile. Such properties of a metal can be drawn into thin wires. Gold is the most ductile metal that is used widely for making jewelry coins, etc.
• Malleability: Most of the metals are malleable at a definite temperature.
• Electrical conductivity: Most metals are good conductors of electricity in a solid state due to the presence of free electrons. However, the conduction of electricity or flow of electric current may vary from one metal to another.
• Good conductor of heat: Commonly, a metal is a good conductor of heat energy. However, lead and mercury are poor conductors of heat.
• Melting and Boiling points: Metals generally have high melting and boiling points among periodic table elements. Tungsten is a high melting point among metals while gallium and cesium have very low melting points.
• Sonority: Most of the metals are sonorous because they produce a sound when striking on a hard surface.

Types of Metal

The periodic table elements that form positive ions by losing electrons are called metals. Metals have properties to contain few electrons in the outer shell but it contains too many orbitals.

On the basis of physical and chemical properties, all 118 elements can be divided into two main groups, metals and non-metals. Apart from these, some elements show properties of both metals and non-metals. These are called metalloids.

All the metals of the periodic table are classified into four groups,

• Alkali metals
• Alkaline earth metals
• Transition metals
• Rare earth metals

The properties and uses of different types of metal on the periodic table are given below the topics.