All the transition elements and all the elements in the first two groups of the periodic table are among the metals found in the periodic table. Metals are mostly solids except for mercury (Hg) which is a liquid metal.
Metals can be identified by their metallic properties such as
- having high melting points
- having high boiling points;
- malleable
- good conductors of heat
- good conductors of electricity
These properties of metals can be explained with the structure of the metals
Metals are making a giant structure with metallic ions (e.g : Cu 2+ ions in Cu, Na + ions in Na) bonded together tightly with each other with metallic bonds forming a giant 3d structure. Delocalized free moving electrons are moving around the ion lattice.
 |
High melting and boiling point of the metals are due to the strong metallic bonds found in metal structure due to the electrostatic force between positively charged metal ions and negatively charged free moving electrons.
Metals are malleable because the layers of metal ions can slide over each other without braking due to the free moving electrons acting like a glue.
Electrical and heat conductivity of metals is due to the free moving electrons passing the energy.
Properties of metals can be improved by making them in to alloys. alloys are a mixture of a metal with another element,
e.g. brass; stainless steel
Next about reactivity series
1:54 AM
alloy
explain
GCSE Chemistry
high melting point
malleable
metallic
metals
properties
structure
