Metallic+Properties

=Metallic Properties= Nandish Pathak

**Properties of Metals:**
Metals make up roughly three quarters of the periodic table, located mostly to the left and middle. The more an element exhibits the physical and chemical properties of a metal, the greater its **metallic character** is. Metallic character in atoms increase from right to left on the periodic table and when you move down on the periodic table.



Physical Properties

 * Most metals have a shiny luster
 * Metals conduct heat
 * Metals conduct electricity
 * Most metals are malleable (can be pounded into thin sheets)
 * Most metals are ductile (can be drawn into wire)
 * Almost always solid at room temperature. (the exception is mercury, which is a liquid)
 * All but a few meltals at extremely high temperatures (gallium melts at 29.8 degrees C and cesium at 28.4 degrees)

Chemical Properties

 * Metals are very reactive, forming oxides by reacting with the oxygen in the air[[image:http://www.cynical-c.com/archives/bloggraphics/LakeExplosion.big.t.JPG width="205" height="134" align="right" caption="Sodium, a very reactive Alkali metal" link="http://www.cynical-c.com/archives/bloggraphics/LakeExplosion.big.t.JPG"]]
 * Alkali metals and alkali earth metals are the most reactive metals
 * most oxides of metals are basic

**Ionization:**
Metals have low ionization energies, and because of this they usually form positive ions (cations). Therefore, metals are **usually oxidized when they** **undergo a chemical reaction.** Metals are usually oxidized by common substances including oxygen.

Alkali metals and alkali earth metals
All alkali metals have a 1+ charge and alkali earth metals have a 2+ charge when they're in their compounds. In both of these situations, their outer electrons are lost easily to get an electron configuration **similar to that of a noble-gas.**

Transition Metals
Transition metals ions have +1, +2, or +3 charges. Transition metals are the only metals that can form **more than one positive ion** (for example, iron can have a 2+ charge in one compound but a +3 charge in another).

Metallic Compounds
Compounds made between metals and non-metals are **ionic substances.** Also, most **metal oxides are basic**. They are basic because most metal oxides will dissolve in water and form a metal hydroxide and when they react with acids to form salt and water.

Pictures
http://www.grandinetti.org/Teaching/Chem121/Lectures/ChemicalReactivity/assets/MetallicTable.gif http://www.geocities.com/%7Ejrbeasley/dallas/pix/trophies.jpg http://www.cynical-c.com/archives/bloggraphics/LakeExplosion.big.t.JPG http://images.jupiterimages.com/common/detail/44/18/22401844.jpg

Information
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metals AP Chem Textbook