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PROPERTIES AND USES OF METALS

Physical properties

· The five most used metals in order of use are iron, aluminium, copper, zinc, and manganese.

· Hard and strong

· Solids (except mercury)

· Shiny (when polished)

· Good conductors of heat

· Good conductors of electricity

· Dense

· Malleable and ductile

These properties make metals suitable for a large number of uses. However, some metals are considered to be better than others in particular situations:

· Copper, silver and gold are good conductors of electricity and ductile, which means that they can be drawn out into a wire. This is why copper is used in electrical cables and circuits and gold and silver are sometimes used for electrical contacts.

· Iron and steel are both hard and strong. Therefore they are used to construct bridges, buildings and motor cars. Iron is by far the most useful metal and makes up over 90% of all metal production. The main disadvantage is that iron tends to rust.

· Aluminium is a good conductor of heat and is malleable, which means it can be hammered out to a shape. It is used to make thin cooking foil and saucepans. It is also used to make airplanes and cans, as it is a low density metal.

· Gold and silver are malleable, ductile, shiny and unreactive. They are used…