Science
What are metals?
Quick answer
Metals are shiny, strong materials that conduct heat and electricity and can be hammered or stretched into shape. Iron, copper, gold and aluminium are metals.
In one sentence
Metals are hard, shiny materials that let heat and electricity pass through easily and that can be shaped without breaking.
Explained
Look around and you will find metals: keys, coins, spoons, bells, cans and bike frames. Most metals share these properties:
- Shiny: polished metal reflects light (we call this lustre).
- Strong and hard, so they hold weight.
- Malleable: they can be hammered or rolled flat without shattering.
- Ductile: they can be pulled into thin wires.
- Good conductors of heat and electricity. See conductors and insulators.
- Sonorous: they ring when hit, which is why bells are metal.
- High melting points, and almost all are solid at room temperature. Mercury is the exception: it is a liquid.
key
bell
spoon
Not all metals are magnetic. Only iron, nickel and cobalt (and materials containing them, like steel) are attracted to a magnet. Copper, aluminium and gold are not. See magnets. Iron and steel also rust when they meet water and oxygen, but aluminium and gold do not rust.
Pure metals are often too soft, so we mix them with other elements to make alloys. Steel is iron mixed with a little carbon, which makes it much stronger. Bronze is copper and tin, and brass is copper and zinc.
Metals come from rocks called ores, which miners dig up and heat to extract the metal. Some metals, such as gold, can be found as nuggets in rocks. Metals can be melted down and used again, so recycling saves energy and resources. In the periodic table, most elements are metals. Metals are one important group of materials.
Examples
| Metal | Use | Property |
|---|---|---|
| Copper | electrical wires | excellent conductor |
| Aluminium | drinks cans, aeroplanes | light, does not rust |
| Iron and steel | bridges, cars | strong |
| Gold | jewellery | does not tarnish |
| Tin | coating on food cans | protects from rust |
Common mistakes
- "All metals are magnetic." Only a few are.
- "All metals rust." Only iron and steel rust.
- "Metals feel cold because they are cold." They conduct heat away from your hand quickly.
Quick quiz
Metals
Check what you know with 4 quick questions.
Question 1 of 4
Which property do all metals share?
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Related topics
Materials
Materials are what objects are made from, such as wood, metal, plastic and glass. Each has properties, like being hard, bendy, waterproof or see-through, that suit it to some jobs.
Conductors and insulators
A conductor lets electricity or heat pass through easily, like copper. An insulator blocks it, like plastic or rubber. Metals are good conductors; most non-metals are insulators.
Magnets
A magnet is an object that pulls on certain metals, such as iron, and pushes or pulls on other magnets. Every magnet has a north pole and a south pole.
Adaptation
An adaptation is a feature or behaviour that helps a living thing survive where it lives. A polar bear's thick fur and a cactus's spines are adaptations.
Amphibians
Amphibians are cold-blooded animals with thin, moist skin that live part of their lives in water and part on land. Frogs, toads, newts and salamanders are amphibians.
Birds
Birds are warm-blooded animals with feathers, wings and a beak. They lay hard-shelled eggs, and most can fly. Penguins, ostriches and parrots are all birds.