In a natural state in the earth’s crust, metals are typically obtained in the form of ores and are linked with a variety of other elements both intermetallically and intrametallically.
Atmospheric dust, along with surface water and groundwater, also contains the rock’s metals in a natural form.
In the following sections and as proposed above, we will describe some of the applications of metals across a variety of industries as we proceed to a description of 25 common metals.
What Is Metal?
Beneath the Earth’s surface, minerals can be found, most of which possess a shiny surface. These minerals are referred to as metals, and they are characterized as inorganic substances, as their existence cannot ever be linked to life.
An opaque and shiny substance, metal is a good electricity and heat conductor. Opaque metal is found to be softer than most other elementary substances, in addition to being ductile, malleable, and more dense.
Today’s strong and durable objects include instruments such as satellites and cooking utensils, in addition to cars, all of which are made out of metal.
Gold is classified as the softest known metal, which can be shaped into wires or foil, while sodium and potassium are known for their low melting point; the room-temperature liquid metal, mercury, is commonly juxtaposed with iron, which exists in pure form.
Types of Metals
List of different types of Metals:
#1. Iron.
Iron is abundant. Earth holds a little less than 5% of it . But finding this metal is not hard. Nonetheless, pure iron is not a stable element, since it almost always instantly combines with oxygen within the atmosphere and forms iron oxide.
Acquiring iron from its ores requires a blast furnace. In the first stage, the furnace gives pig iron which can go through a refining process to obtain pure iron.
The majority of iron produced later became a constituent of steel and other alloys. This explains why nearly 90% of metals produced are ferrous in nature.
Iron has three varieties: pig iron, cast iron and wrought iron. It is also one of the most preferred metals because of how cheap it is.
- Pig iron: It is the crude form of iron that acts as a main ingredient in the production of other ferrous metals such as cast iron and steel.
- Cast iron: produced by smelting pig iron with coke and limestone. Cast iron is usually brittle and very difficult to weld. Nonetheless, it is an exceptional engineering material of wide use in the automobile industry. This is because of its low melting point, easy casting, machinability, and resistance to deformation and wear.
- Wrought Iron: ductile and tough, wrought iron is a highly purified metal inwhile silicate slag in only small quantities is formed into the filaments. Because of this, wrought iron is good for forging into guard rails and gates and garden furniture. However, now a days wrought iron has been replaced by mild steel.
#2. Steel.
While most metals can be considered very strong, pure iron is the weakest. The vulnerability of iron to corrosion makes it one of the most uneconomical metals due to high energy and cash costs to iron’s base due to the high density of iron.
Adding carbon to iron creates steel allowing to reduce some of its disadvantages. Forming a mixture of carbon and iron, cast steel is much stronger than iron making steel a commonly used material in erecting buildings.
There are three primary types of steel:
Carbon Steel: Out of the three types, carbon steel is the least advanced. It mainly consists of iron and carbon. It can further be divided into low, medium, and high carbon steel based on the carbon percentage. Its strength and cost increase with the percentage of carbon.
Alloy Steel: This term encompasses all types of steel which have been modified through the addition of other elements besides carbon and iron. This makes the steel suitable for specific tasks. Manganese, vanadium, nickel, tungsten, and chromium (stainless steel) are the most commonly used modifying elements.
Stainless Steel: As the name suggests, stainless steel is steel manufactured to have the best possible corrosion resistance. The addition of chromium to the iron/carbon ratio allows for the creation of a protective barrier on the metal through corrosion. It is used in many high-contact appliances and tools such as surgical instruments and cutlery.
More Resources: What is Stainless Steel?
#3. Aluminum.
Aluminum is principally obtained from its ore, bauxite. Widely available across the globe, it’s the strongest and lightest of metals.
The listed characteristics such as lightweight, high strength to weight ratio, corrosion resistant, and high electrically conductive add to the versatility of the metals making them useful in automobiles and aircrafts.
Alongside copper, aluminum is one of the two alloys that do not easily oxidize and can be machined without any hassle. In addition, it is easy to work with because it does not become magnetized.
#4. Magnesium.
Magnesium is a very cool metal that weighs two-thirds of aluminum while being able to maintain the same strength. These factors make it more prevalent and common with time.
In manufacturing terms, alloys are mixed with metals and other elements to create new materials specialized for certain applications. Doing so opens new avenues for standard practices, which in turn simplifies the manufacturing processes.
The automotive industry is one of magnesium’s most popular and growing applications. Considered a step up from aluminum when it comes to high-strength weight reduction and low cost compared to other metals.
In performance cars, you can see magnesium used in places like the wheel rims, engine blocks, and transmission cases. Magnesium’s disadvantages include ease of corrosion. When compared to aluminum, magnesium is more prone to corrosion. It can corrode in the presence of water, while aluminum is safe.
In general, the price is about double that of aluminum, but is quicker to handle in manufacturing. Furthermore, magnesium is flammable and burns at a very high temperature. Metal shavings, chips, and powders must be meticulously managed at all times to avert the risk of explosion.
#5. Copper.
Copper cannot be left out of the discussion considering the several options of metals there is to choose from. Because copper is easy to form, it has a long history and serves primary application today which makes it very important.
Since copper does not exist in a pure form in nature, it is essential to smelt and extract it from the ore.
Metals are good conductors of electricity, but out of all, copper is the best. Because of the remarkable electrical conductivity of copper, you will find copper conductor wires in electrical circuits.
Silver is the only metal that surpasses copper’s conductivity. This justifies why most cooking utensils are made of copper.
#6. Brass.
Brass is the zinc and copper alloy. The amount of each metal may vary on the specific mechanical and electric qualities that are desired from the metal. There is also some metallic lead, aluminum, and manganese present in small quantities.
Brass is widely known as an industry standard alloy for low friction applications, including bearings, locks, musical instruments, tools and fittings, and plumbing.
Brass is particularly useful in safe tools designed to be used in potentially explosive atmospheres since they will not cause dangerous sparks.
#7. Bronze.
Similar to brass, bronze is another copper alloy. However, instead of zinc, bronze is made of tin. Its properties and suitability for a particular application can be enhanced by adding phosphorus, manganese, silicon, aluminum, as well as other elements.
Bronze exhibits high hardness, brittleness, as well as excellent fatigue resistance. Additionally, it has good electrical and thermal conductivity, and corrosion resistance.
Bronze has found application in manufacturing mirrors and reflectors, electric connectors, and in submerged parts and ship fittings because of its resistance to corrosion.
Bronze is easy to identify and has significant historical importance, like in the Bronze Age. It is commonplace in massive church bells.
Because bronze is strong and tough, it does not crack or bend like other metals when bells are rung, and it sounds better.
Modern bronze use is found in sculptures, art, springs, bearings and in guitar strings. It was the first alloy metal made by humans.
#8. ZINC.
Following aluminum and copper, zinc is the third most utilized non-ferrous metal. An individual utilizes approximately a total of 331 kilograms of zinc throughout their life which is an outstanding figure. Zinc can also be used as a filling material due to its low melting point.
Some examples of zinc castings that we encounter in our day-to-day activities would be materials that are located below the superficial layer of door handles, faucets, and electronic components.
Zinc possesses one of the highest levels of corrosion resistance among metals. This quality, among others, allows it to serve as a coating for steel. Zinc serves other purposes, it can also be used with copper to create brass.
Zinc has many uses and benefits, such as excellent castability, corrosion resistance, strength, and hardness. In addition to having a cheap market price, zinc also possesses low melting points. Zinc can easily be made into alloys with other metals.
Healthcare equipment that is used for the elderly tends to be made of zinc. Zinc is fragile when it is at room temperature but can be forged into a ductile material when heated to around 100 degrees Celsius.
#9. Titanium.
The Importance of Titanium in Science and Engineering Titanium features prevailing importance in engineering because it has a high strength to weight ratio, and possesses a silvery-white luster.
The primary traits of titanium include resistance to corrosion, easy processing, low density, and a high melting point. Titanium alloys have seen tremendous application in jet engines, rockets, missiles, and other aircraft components.
Titanium is also found in the sports industry, military machinery, and the medical field due to its corrosion-resistant nature. Additionally, it holds a metallic sheen and is ductile.
#10. Tungsten.
Certain properties of tungsten metals Having the maximum melting point and tensile strength among pure metals, tungsten has earned the title of strongest metal. Based on these traits, it serves a great purpose.
Around fifty percent of tungsten is maintained in the form of tungsten carbide. This tungsten derived substance is the most robust for mining and metal working tools, abrasives, and heavy machinery; it is capable of cutting titanium and superalloy metals forged at high temperatures.
Tungsten is the name given to it, derived from its Swedish terminology “heavy stone” used because its density is around 1.7 times greater than lead and a famous makes alloying element.
Because of its high melting point, it is often combined with other metals to form materials used in rocket nozzles that are exposed to extreme temperatures.
#11. Nickel.
Nickel is another element that is commonly used. It is typically combined with other metals, particularly stainless steel, to provide additional strength and improve resistance against corrosion, and is therefore the most used form of nickel, consuming almost 70% of Nickel’s production. Stainless steel is the most used form of nickel.
Almost ironically, nickel is only about 25% of the components that make up the five cent US dollar coin. Nickel is also used quite popularly as a plating or alloying material, especially gold coated lab or chemistry glassware smooth polished surface metals.
The name nickel comes from a mischievous sprite that German folklore claims used to be responsible for old miners blaming copper that couldn’t be mined out of nickel ore that looks strikingly similar to copper.
#12. Cobalt.
Cobalt metal is silvery white in color and quite tough. Its usage includes but is not limited to alloys, where is aids in increasing their hardness, as well as making magnets and electroplating.
Cobalt is a hard and brittle metallic element that has a shiny silver-gray appearance. This can be observed in its resemblance to iron and nickel with respect to hardness, tensile strength, and other mechanical thermo and electrochemical properties. Magnetism ceases at a temperature of 1150℃.
#13. Tin.
Tin has the characteristic feature of being both soft and malleable. It is used as an alloying element in the production of bronze (tin is ⅛th while copper constitutes ⅞ths). It is also used in the production of pewter (85-99%).
A twanging sound that accompanies the bending of a tin bar is what is referred to as a “tin cry”. Such sound (twanging) is the result of the process of twinning, aka the restructuring of a crystal’s lattice system.
#14. Lead.
Lead has characteristics of being soft and malleable. Furthermore, it is dense and heavy. An important feature of lead is its low melting point. Lead is simple to work with and is corrosion resistant. This is used in pipes and paint.
In the case of gasoline, lead was used as an anti-knocking agent. This resulted in severe health problems after use due to lead poisoning.
Other than that, lead is extensively used in ammunition, car batteries, radiation shielding, weights, cable sheathing, and most commonly used in the construction industry.
In the 1800s, it was established that lead has a rather high toxicity. Even so, it was found in paints and bullets not all that long ago. This is the reasoning behind lead’s relatively low usage in modern times.
Lead does have some modern-day functions. For one, it is the best material for radiation shielding. Additionally, it is sometimes included in copper alloys in order to aid in the cutting process. Moreover, copper-lead alloys are frequently used in making bearings, enhancing their overall functionality.
#15. Silicon.
Silicon is a neat element that is technically classified as a metalloid. This means it exhibits characteristics of both a metal and a non-metal. For instance, it has a metallic luster.
Like most metals, it is solid, has a high melting point, and is nasty to bend. Moreover, silicon is a very poor conductor of electricity, which is why it is not classified as a full metal.
Nevertheless, alloys do contain silicon, and using them changes the properties of metals significantly. For instance, when added to aluminum, its weldability increases.
#16. Chromium.
For the alloys of metals that require increasing their tensile strength, Chromium is used as a super alloy. The second hardest material after diamonds and carbon, chromium possesses a uniquely reflecting surface and aids in improving the outer finishes of other metals.
Having a melting point of approximately 2000 degrees Celsius, super alloys, or metals with remarkable modifications such as resistance to corrosion, ultra, and high temperatures, are highly in demand.
#17. Lithium
As a member of the alkali metal group, lithium is classified as a soft metal. With a luster of silver and white, it is particularly appealing. The strengthening of glasses and ceramics also employs lithium.
#18. Gold.
A precious metal that is low in abundance, gold has been used in the making of jewelry, coins, and other ornamental objects for centuries. Gold cannot corrode when exposed to air and can be easily bent and shaped.
Gold is solid when at room temperature, having a dense soft appearance. Gold is a poor conductor of electricity, however it, along with heat, is able to pass through gold with ease.
#19. Silver.
Silver is a precious metal that is similar to gold in many ways. It is rare, soft, and malleable and does not corrode in the air. Silver is a good conductor of electricity and heat. However, it is not as good a conductor as gold.
#20. Platinum.
Known for its malleability, corrosion resistance, and great capability to endure chemicals, platinum is a precious, silverish white metal weighing quite a lot. Furthermore, it features softness and ductility alongside a very high melting point.
However, it is only moderately damaged, though, by simple acids. For example, while platinum is easily dissolved in aqua regia, its surface stays shiny after being brought to white heat in air.
It is known that platinum dissolves slowly in hydrochloric acid as long as air is present. In addition, small quantities of iridium are added to pure platinum to form stronger alloys which are more robust, yet, at the same time, keep the advantages of pure platinum.
#21. Mercury.
In terms of platinum, mercury is different as it is the only metal that stays in a liquid state and can be found at normal room temperature.
As for its appearance, mercury has a silvery white color, but, in moist air, the shining color dulls. Furthermore, mercury freezes into a soft solid resembling tin and lead when put at -38.83 °C and boils at 356.62 °C.
Due to its high density, mercury can be utilized in a variety of devices such as thermometers, barometers, manometers, sphygmomanometers, float valves, mercury switches, mercury relays, fluorescent lamps and other devices.
#22. Gunmetal.
Gunmetal refers to a type of bronze that was once utilized in ordnance and is now largely obsolete. In modern admiralty, gunmetal, composed of 88% copper, 10% tin, and 2% zinc, is used for heavy load, low speed bearings, and gears.
It can also be used to make parts for steam pumps and valves. It withstands corrosion from steam and seawater.
It resists corrosion from steam and salt water and from nitrogen methane carbon dioxide hydrogen sulfide and mercury. Gunmetal is used for making steam and hydraulic castings, valves, gears, statues, and a wide range of small items like buttons.
#23. Uranium.
Uranium is an element that undergoes radioactivity and is naturally found in ores. The earth’s crust contains uranium in about 2 parts for every million. Found in the ores, uranium shows up as a silvery white, colored, dense, and a hard metallic element.
It is both ductile and malleable, and as such can be shaped to a fine gloss. Cut up to fine grains the metal oxides and ignites when exposed to air. When passing electricity, it has an average conduction rate.
Around the world, uranium is used in commercial nuclear reactors to generate electricity. Additionally, it is used in the production of isotopes for medical, industrial, and defense purposes.
The energy from the fission of U-235 atoms is transformed first into steam. The steam produced will then lead to the spinning of turbines that will drive generators to produce power or electricity.
#24. Gallium.
Gallium is a soft silvery-white metal that can be cut with a knife just like aluminum. Some of the major uses of gallium include it being an electronics industry silicon substitute. It is used as a major constituent in several semiconductors.
Due to shallow oxidation, the substance exhibits bluish hue. Exceedingly, gallium has a low melting point of around 30 °C (86 °F). It also expands when frozen and can supercool, staying a liquid at temperatures as low as 0 °C (32 °F).
Gallium’s liquid state lasts within ~2,000 °C (3,600 °F). Additionally, gallium maintains low vapour pressure until 1,500 °C (2,700 °F), which provides a broader useful range than any element.
It’s easier to obtain gallium arsenide because it has similar stucture with silicon making it possible to use as a silicon substitute in the electronics industry. Being one of the semiconductors, it is significantly used.
Due to its properties that allow electrical energy to be converted to light, it is used in the red LEDs (light emitting diodes). Gallium arsenide was used in the solar panels of Mars Exploration Rover.
Another type of semiconductor is gallium nitride. It has special characteristics that are beneficial. It is widely used in cell phones, blue and green LED lights, Blu-ray discs, and even touch screen sensors.
Gallium forms alloys with most metals easily. Low-melting alloys contain the most gallium.
Because of its high boiling point, it can be used to record temperatures that would otherwise vaporize a thermometer.
#25. Bismuth.
Bismuth’s crystalline and lustrous qualities make it brittle and hard. It can be identified as the only metal with a reddish tinge of grey-white color.
While bismuth alloys with tin or cadmium are frequently used in fire detectors and extinguishers due to their low melting points, the substance is mixed with other metals to make it useful. The bismuth metal is brittle, so it is required to be.
Bismuth is certainly allied with the first triad, standing amicably accompanied by density, conductivity, malleability, and luster, which tend to distinguish metals.
Types of metal based on Periodic table
In general, metals are dense, shiny, good conductors of electricity, ductile, and malleable. While metals differ from one another in other ways, these features serve to categorize all types of metals.
#1. Alkali Metals.
The alkali metals belong to group IA on the left hand side of the periodic table. They are highly reactive elements, distinctive because of their +1 oxidation state and relatively low density in comparison with other metals.
At standard temperature and pressure all alkali metals are shiny, soft, highly reactive and tend to readily lose their outermost electron which allows them to gain a charge of +1.
Alkali metals can also be cut easily using a knife, exposing a shiny surface which tarnishes as a result of oxidation due to moisture and oxygen in the atmosphere, in the case of lithium, its nitrogen.
Due to their incredibly high reactivity, Naturally, these elements can be found only as salts and never as free elements and are enclosed with oil so that they do not react with air.
Caesium is the most reactive among all metals. All the alkali metals, including cesium, react with water, and the heavier ones tend to react far more violently compared to the lighter ones.
Due to their high reactivity, these elements are only found in nature in the form of compounds. The only exception is hydrogen, which exists in nature as diatomic hydrogen (H2).
- Hydrogen in its metallic state (usually considered a nonmetal).
- Lithium.
- Sodium.
- Potassium.
- Rubidium.
- Cesium.
- Francium.
#2. Alkaline Earth Metals.
In the periodic table, the alkaline earth metals comprise the second column (group IIA). All of the alkaline earth metal atoms have a +2 charge.
Alkaline earths are moderately reactive, but not as much as the alkali metals. These elements are typically found in compounds rather than in pure form. Group IIA metals are hard and shiny and usually malleable and ductile.
- Beryllium
- Magnesium
- Calcium
- Strontium
- Barium
- Radium
#3. Transition Metals.
The transition metals have characteristic features that include one or several d or f subshells that are not completely filled. The presence of unfilled subshells means the elements can have multiple oxidation states and form colored complexes.
Some transition metals have native or pure forms, such as gold, copper, and silver. The actinides and lanthanides are always found in their compounds in nature.
- Zinc
- Yttrium
- Zirconium
- Niobium
- Molybdenum
- Technetium
- Ruthenium
- Rhodium
- Palladium
- Silver
- Roentgenium
- Copernicium
- Cerium
- Praseodymium
- Neodymium
- Promethium
- Samarium
- Europium
- Plutonium
- Americium
- Curium
- Berkelium
- Lawrencium
- Lanthanum
- Hafnium
- Tantalum
- Tungsten
- Rhenium
- Osmium
- Iridium
- Platinum
- Gold
- Mercury
- Actinium
- Gadolinium
- Terbium
- Dysprosium
- Holmium
- Erbium
- Thulium
- Ytterbium
- Californium
- Einsteinium
- Fermium
- Mendelevium
#4. Rare Earth Metals.
Rare earth elements are usually placed in their own table beneath the main Periodic Table, where they are out of context but actually fit into the middle of the table. There are two varieties of rare earth metals, namely, the actinides and the lanthanides.
Lanthanide Metals
The Periodic Table includes 15 Lanthanides. The resemblance of these elements to each other makes it almost impossible to tell them apart.
- Cerium
- Promethium
- Gadolinium
- Dysprosium
- Lutetium
Actinide Metals
The Periodic Table lists 15 Actinides. Most have very short half-lives and, therefore, do not occur naturally; they are, however, created in nuclear reactors or particle accelerators.
- Thorium.
- Uranium.
- Plutonium.
- Californium.
- Mendelevium.
#5. Basic Metals.
These are the metals that people normally think of when relating to the term ‘metal’ as they exhibit basic characteristics. Basic metals conduct heat and electricity, have metallic luster, and tend to be dense, malleable, and ductile.
Some nonmetallic traits, however, are displayed by some of these elements. For instance, one allotrope of tin is nonmetallic in character.
Gallium and lead are two elements that are relatively soft regardless of the general hardness that metals exhibit. Soft elements tend to have lower boiling and melting points when compared to transition metals, with some exceptions.
- Aluminum.
- Gallium.
- Indium.
- Tin.
- Thallium.
- Lead.
- Bismuth.
- Nihonium: probably a basic metal
- Flerovium: probably a basic metal
- Moscovium: probably a basic metal
- Livermorium: probably a basic metal
- Tennessine: in the halogen group but may behave more like a metalloid or metal
#6. Metalloids.
Metalloids are defined as chemical elements that have both non-male characteristics and properties along with male ones, hence the term “metalloids.”
It’s worth mentioning that these seven elements can all be found across the standard periodic table in a p-block boron labeled as the upper left and astatine is placed on the lower right.
Some periodic tables show a dividing line between metals and nonmetals. Below this line is where metalloids can be found.
- Boron
- Germanium
- Silicon
- Antimony
- Arsenic
- Tellurium
- Pollanium
Classification of Metals
From the perspective of iron content, metals are grouped into three categories: ferrous, non-ferrous, and metal alloy.
Ferrous metal
This type of metal contains iron and is the most produced. Steel is an example of a ferrous metal and constitutes about 90% of produced metals.
The term “ferrous” is derived from the Latin word “ferrum” that translates to “iron”. Ferrous metals contain iron and alloys with other metals like cast iron, steel, stainless steel, etc. Among their characteristics are:
- Durability
- Tensile strength
- Electrical conductivity
- Low corrosion resistance
- Recyclable
- Usually magnetic
- Silver in colour
Strength and durability in tensile locations such as construction, are characteristic of ferrous metals.
As a result, they are widely used in the construction industry, providing the structure for bridges and skyscrapers.
Examples include, but are not limited to, containers used for shipment, pipework, cars, railways, and even tools used for commercial as well as domestic purposes.
Due to the high carbon content present in most ferrous metals, these metals are prone to rusting. Wrought iron is an exception as it has a certain degree of purity which allows it to resist corrosion.
Adding alloying elements to steel makes it more resistant to vandalism when in contact with water. For example, adding chromium helps to make stainless steel.
Ferrous metals have been utilized for thousands of years, and they have a wide range of applications, from the biggest structures to the smallest bolts and nuts. Because most ferrous metals have magnetic properties, they are commonly found in electrical and motor applications.
Non-ferrous metal
Non-ferrous metals are alloys or metals that have very little or zero iron content. These metals of alloys are more expensive compared to ferrous metals due to the lightweight properties of the material. Other attributes include:
- Non-magnetic properties.
- Easy to fabricate, including machinability, casting, and welding.
- High resistance to corrosion.
- Good conductivity both thermally and electrically.
- Low density.
- Colour range.
Non ferrous metals are typically extracted from minerals, such as carbonates, silicates, and sulfides, and then refined using electrolysis.
These also include, along with other copper alloys like brass and bronze, aluminum, copper, lead, nickel, tin, titanium, and zinc.
Other precious, or rare, non-ferrous metals encompass gold, silver, cobalt, platinum, mercury, tungsten, lithium, and zirconium.
Aluminum and titanium alloys are capable of replacing ferrous materials like steel, while non-ferrous metals fulfill an extensive array of commercial, business, and residential needs.
However, non-ferrous metals are favored for their specific attributes, resulting in higher costs. Gold and silver are softer and more malleable, allowing for their use in more aesthetic settings.
Metal alloys
Metal alloys are a combination of more than one element, including another metal. For example, brass is an alloy of two metals, copper and zinc.
Steel can also be regarded as an alloy, as it contains the metallic element iron and a non-metallic element in the form of carbon, which is present at 2%.
Alloying a metal increases a specific property, and every substance within an alloy contributes something unique that makes the outcome more durable, resistant to corrosion, easier to carry heavy loads, or more difficult to break.
As a result, these arms and other tools are highly demanded for their reliability in a wide scope of industries such as marine, aviation, construction, electronics, domestic goods, architecture, and automobile.
Physical Properties of Metals
A few of the most important properties of metals are the following.
- Metals can be hammered into thin sheets, which indicates that they possess the property of malleability.
- Metals can be drawn into wire, which makes them ductile.
- Metals conduct electricity and heat very well.
- Metals have a shiny appearance, which indicates that they are lustrous.
- Metals can hold heavy weights, which indicates that they have high tensile strength.
- They make a ringing sound when struck, which means that metals are sonorous.
- Metals have great difficulty being cut, meaning they are hard.
Chemical Properties of Metals
- Reaction with water: Water only reacts with highly reactive metals, not all metals. For example, sodium reacts vigorously with water and oxygen and gives off a great deal of heat. This is why sodium is stored in kerosene, to keep it away from moisture and oxygen.
- Reaction with acids: Metals will produce hydrogen gas when interacting with acids. For instance, zinc will react with hydrochloric acid and produce zinc chloride and hydrogen gas.
- Reaction with bases: Metals that do react with bases are not in great numbers and they give rises to metal salts and hydrogen gas. Consider the following example: With strong sodium hydroxide, zinc gives hydrogen gas and sodium zincate.
- Reaction with oxygen: When metals burn in the presence of oxygen, they yield metal oxides. These oxides are basic. For example, A magnesium strip that burns produces oxygen as magnesium oxide, and dissolving magnesium oxide in water yields magnesium hydroxide.
Uses of Metals
Metals are used in:
- Transportation: Cars, buses, trucks, ships, trains, and airplanes.
- Aerospace: Manned and unmanned rockets and the space shuttle.
- Computers and other electronics, including conductors (TV, radio, stereo, calculators, security instruments, etc).
- Commercial and Civil use, such as satellites, where the body is made of a light but strong metal.
- Food processing and preservation such as Microwave and Conventional ovens, refrigerators, and freezers.
- Construction such as nails in conventional lumber construction and structural steel in other buildings.
- Biomedical applications such as joint replacement and other prostheses.
- Generators, transformers, and power lines are essential in the electrical power production and distribution process. Alongside oil wells, nuclear reactors, and turbines, power plants fuel electricity using steam engines (boilers).
- Farming equipment includes tractors, combines, seeders, and more.
- Conveniences within a household range from sinks and water heaters to vacuum cleaners and dishwashers. Other examples include specialized heaters and air conditioners, blenders, lawnmowers, and trimmers, as well as plumbing devices.
List of Metals (Examples of Metals)
This is a list of metals in order of increasing atomic number.
S.No | Atomic Number | Symbol | Metal Elements |
1 | 3 | Li | Lithium |
2 | 4 | Be | Beryllium |
3 | 11 | Na | Sodium |
4 | 12 | Mg | Magnesium |
5 | 13 | Al | Aluminum |
6 | 19 | K | Potassium |
7 | 20 | Ca | Calcium |
8 | 21 | Sc | Scandium |
9 | 22 | Ti | Titanium |
10 | 23 | V | Vanadium |
11 | 24 | Cr | Chromium |
12 | 25 | Mn | Manganese |
13 | 26 | Fe | Iron |
14 | 27 | Co | Cobalt |
15 | 28 | Ni | Nickel |
16 | 29 | Cu | Copper |
17 | 30 | Zn | Zinc |
18 | 31 | Ga | Gallium |
19 | 37 | Rb | Rubidium |
20 | 38 | Sr | Strontium |
21 | 39 | Y | Yttrium |
22 | 40 | Zr | Zirconium |
23 | 41 | Nb | Niobium |
24 | 42 | Mo | Molybdenum |
25 | 43 | Tc | Technetium |
26 | 44 | Ru | Ruthenium |
27 | 45 | Rh | Rhodium |
28 | 46 | Pd | Palladium |
29 | 47 | Ag | Silver |
30 | 48 | Cd | Cadmium |
31 | 49 | In | Indium |
32 | 50 | Sn | Tin |
33 | 55 | Cs | Cesium |
34 | 56 | Ba | Barium |
35 | 57 | La | Lanthanum |
36 | 58 | Ce | Cerium |
37 | 59 | Pr | Praseodymium |
38 | 60 | Nd | Neodymium |
39 | 61 | Pm | Promethium |
40 | 62 | Sm | Samarium |
41 | 63 | Eu | Europium |
42 | 64 | Gd | Gadolinium |
43 | 65 | Tb | Terbium |
44 | 66 | Dy | Dysprosium |
45 | 67 | Ho | Holmium |
46 | 68 | Er | Erbium |
47 | 69 | Tm | Thulium |
48 | 70 | Yb | Ytterbium |
49 | 71 | Lu | Lutetium |
50 | 72 | Hf | Hafnium |
51 | 73 | Ta | Tantalum |
52 | 74 | W | Tungsten |
53 | 75 | Re | Rhenium |
54 | 76 | Os | Osmium |
55 | 77 | Ir | Iridium |
56 | 78 | Pt | Platinum |
57 | 79 | Au | Gold |
58 | 80 | Hg | Mercury |
59 | 81 | Tl | Thallium |
60 | 82 | Pb | Lead |
61 | 83 | Bi | Bismuth |
62 | 84 | Po | Polonium |
63 | 87 | Fr | Francium |
64 | 88 | Ra | Radium |
65 | 89 | Ac | Actinium |
66 | 90 | Th | Thorium |
67 | 91 | Pa | Protactinium |
68 | 92 | U | Uranium |
69 | 93 | Np | Neptunium |
70 | 94 | Pu | Plutonium |
71 | 95 | Am | Americium |
72 | 96 | Cm | Curium |
73 | 97 | Bk | Berkelium |
74 | 98 | Cf | Californium |
75 | 99 | Es | Einsteinium |
76 | 100 | Fm | Fermium |
77 | 101 | Md | Mendelevium |
78 | 102 | No | Nobelium |
79 | 103 | Lr | Lawrencium |
80 | 104 | Rf | Rutherfordium |
81 | 105 | Db | Dubnium |
82 | 106 | Sg | Seaborgium |
83 | 107 | Bh | Bohrium |
84 | 108 | Hs | Hassium |
85 | 109 | Mt | Meitnerium |
86 | 110 | Ds | Darmstadtium |
87 | 111 | Rg | Roentgenium |
88 | 112 | Cn | Copernicium |
89 | 113 | Nh | Nihonium |
90 | 114 | Fl | Flerovium |
91 | 115 | Mc | Moscovium |
92 | 116 | Lv | Livermorium |
FAQs.
What is Metal?
A metal is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typically malleable or ductile. Metal may be a chemical element such as iron, an alloy such as stainless steel, or a molecular compound such as polymeric sulfur nitride.
What are the Types of Metal?
Metals can be divided into two main groups: ferrous metals are those which contain iron and non-ferrous metals are those which contain no iron.
1. Iron. Iron comprises almost 5% of the Earth.
2. Steel. Although pure iron is stronger than most metals, it is prone to corrosion.
3. Copper.
4. Bronze.
5. Brass.
6. Aluminium.
7. Titanium.
8. Lead.
What are the 10 examples of metals?
Examples of metals are aluminum, copper, iron, tin, gold, lead, silver, titanium, uranium, and zinc. Well-known alloys include bronze and steel. The study of metals is called metallurgy
What are the properties of metals?
Properties of Metals:
1. Metals can be hammered into thin sheets. It means they possess the property of malleability.
2. Metals are ductile.
3. Metals are good conductors of heat and electricity.
4. Metals are lustrous, which means they have a shiny appearance.
5. Metals have high tensile strength.
6. Metals are sonorous.
7. Metals are hard.
How many types of metals exist?
According to the Royal Society of Chemistry, there are 94 metals in the periodic table, and each can be classified differently. However, the most common classification is by iron content.