page_title: Properties of metals, metalloids and nonmetals
section_title: Metals
hierarchical_section_title: Properties of metals, metalloids and nonmetals / Properties / Metals
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Reinste (99,97&#160;%+) Eisen-Chips, elektrolytisch raffiniert, sowie für den Größenvergleich ein hochreiner (99,9999&#160;% = 6N) 1 cm3 Eisen-Würfel English: Pure (99.97&#160;%+) iron chips, electrolytically refined, as well as a high purity (99.9999&#160;% = 6N) 1 cm3 iron cube for comparison. Español: Hierro puro (99.97&#160;%+), en pedacitos, refinado electroliticamente, tambien un cubo de 1 cm3 de hierro de alta pureza (99.9999&#160;% = 6N) para comparacion. Français&#160;: Fragments purs (99,97&#160;%+) de fer, raffinés par électrolyse, à coté d'un cube d'1 cm3 de fer de haute pureté (99,9999&#160;% = 6N), pour comparaison. Italiano: Alcuni frammenti di ferro puro (99,97&#160;%+), raffinato per elettrolisi, accostati, per confronto, ad un cubo di ferro levigato ultrapuro (99,9999&#160;% = 6N) di 1 cm3. Nederlands: Zuivere (99,97%+) elektrolytisch geraffineerde stukjes ijzer met ter vergelijking een ultra-pure (99,9999% = 6N) ijzeren kubus van 1 kubieke centimeter. 6N staat hierbij voor 6 negens (99,9999). Polski: Czyste (99,97&#160;%+) kawałki żelaza rafinowanego elektrolitycznie oraz sześcian (1 cm3) wykonany z żelaza o wysokiej czystości (99,9999&#160;% = 6N) Türkçe: Elektrolizle arıtılmış (%99,97+) saflıkta demir parçaları ve karşılaştırma için yüksek saflıkta (99,9999&#160;% = 6N) 1 cm3 hacminde demirden bir küp. Українська: Шматки чистого заліза (99,97%+), очищені методом електролізу, Зліва для порівняння куб об'ємом 1 см3 із надчистого заліза (99,9999% = 6N).) Tiếng Việt: Các mảnh sắt tinh khiết (99,97%+) và khối hộp 1 cm3 có độ tinh khiết cao (99,9999%) cùng vật liệu.
context_page_description: The chemical elements can be broadly divided into metals, metalloids and nonmetals according to their shared physical and chemical properties. All metals have a shiny appearance; are good conductors of heat and electricity; form alloys with other metals; and have at least one basic oxide. Metalloids are metallic-looking brittle solids that are either semiconductors or exist in semiconducting forms, and have amphoteric or weakly acidic oxides. Typical nonmetals have a dull, coloured or colourless appearance; are brittle when solid; are poor conductors of heat and electricity; and have acidic oxides. Most or some elements in each category share a range of other properties; a few elements have properties that are either anomalous given their category, or otherwise extraordinary.
context_section_description: Metals appear lustrous (beneath any patina); form mixtures (alloys) when combined with other metals; tend to lose or share electrons when they react with other substances; and each forms at least one predominantly basic oxide.
  Most metals are silvery looking, high density, relatively soft and easily deformed solids with good electrical and thermal conductivity, closely packed structures, low ionisation energies and electronegativities, and are found naturally in combined states.
  Some metals appear coloured (Cu, Cs, Au), have low densities (e.g. Be, Al) or very high melting points (e.g. W, Nb), are liquids at or near room temperature (e.g. Hg, Ga), are brittle (e.g. Os, Bi), not easily machined (e.g. Ti, Re), or are noble (hard to oxidise, e.g. Au, Pt) or have nonmetallic structures (Mn and Ga are structurally analogous to, respectively, white P and I).
  Metals comprise the large majority of the elements, and can be subdivided into several different categories. From left to right in the periodic table, these categories include the highly reactive alkali metals; the less reactive alkaline earth metals, lanthanides and radioactive actinides; the archetypal transition metals, and the physically and chemically weak post-transition metals. Specialized subcategories such as the refractory metals and the noble metals also exist.
caption: Pure (99.97%+) iron chips, electrolytically refined, accompanied by a high purity (99.9999% = 6N) 1 cm3 cube
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