Chapter 4, Section 3:

Metals
Physical Science
10.7.2014
Properties of Metals
• Elements are classified as metals based on their properties
• Physical properties
• Chemical properties

• Generally speaking, metals are found to the left of the zigzag

line on the periodic table
Physical Properties of Metals
• Shininess
• Self-explanatory
• Malleability
• Material that can be hammered or rolled into flat sheets and other shapes
• Ductility
• Material that can be pulled out, or drawn, into a long wire
• Conductivity
• The ability of an object to transfer heat or electricity to another object
Chemical Properties of Metals
• Reactivity is the ease and speed with which an element
combines, or reacts, with other elements and compounds
• Sodium has a high reactivity
• Gold has a low reactivity
• Other reactivities fall somewhere in the middle
• EX: iron reacts slowly with oxygen in the air, forming rust
• This is known as corrosion
Metals in the Periodic Table
• The metals in a group, or family, have similar properties,
which change as you go from left to right in the table
Notable Characteristics
• Group 1 (alkali metals)
• React with other elements by losing one electron
• Highly reactive
• Shiny and soft
• Found in foods and some medicines

• Group 2 (alkaline earth metals)

• Fairly hard, gray-white, and a good conductor of electricity
• React by losing two electrons
• Calcium compounds are essential for your body
Notable Characteristics (cont.)
• Groups 3 – 12 (transition metals)
• Include more of the familiar elements
• Most are hard, shiny, and good conductors of electricity
• Many form colorful compounds
• Some are important in healthcare

• Groups 13 – 15 (mixed metals)

• Only refers to some metals
• More familiar ones are aluminum, tin, and lead
Notable Characteristics (cont.)
• Lanthanides
• Soft, malleable, shiny metals with high conductivity
• Mixed with more common metals to make alloys
• Usually found with other lanthanides in nature

• Actinides
• Rare Earth elements
• Only actinium (Ac), thorium (Th), protactinium (Pa), and uranium
(U) occur naturally on Earth
• The elements after uranium were created artificially
• Highly unstable nuclei
Synthetic Elements
• RECALL: the elements higher than uranium are created
artificially
• Made when nuclear particles are force to crash into one another
• EX: plutonium (Pu) is made by bombarding nuclei of uranium-238
with neutrons in a reactor
• EX: americium-241 (Am-241) is made by bombarding plutonium
nuclei with neutrons

• To make heavier elements (above atomic #95), scientists use

particle accelerators
Particle Accelerators
• Move atomic nuclei faster
and faster until they have
reached very high speeds

• If these fast-moving
nuclei crash into the
nuclei of other elements
with enough energy, the
particles can combine into
a single nucleus
New Elements
• New elements have been synthesized only as more powerful
particle accelerators have been built
• In 1996, element 112, copernicium (Cn), was made by accelerating zinc
nuclei and crashing them into lead
• In early 1999, element 114, flerovium (Fl), was made by fusing a
calcium atom with a plutonium atom
• In late 2000, element 116, livermorium (Lv), was made by fusing curium
with calcium
Element 115
• First observed in 2003

• Recently corroborated in August, 2013

• Made by bombarding americium with calcium atoms

• Currently awaiting a name

Homework:
• Pg. 125 (1a, 1c, 2, 3)

• 4.3 Study Guide

• LAB Tomorrow