Metals and Alloys

Metals

Metal elements are generally shiny and have high melting points. Most metals are solids at room temperature except for mercury, which is a liquid.

Metals are good conductors of both heat and electricity.

Metals are malleable, which means that they can be hammered out into sheets and ductile, which means that they can be drawn out into wire.

Some common metals, their properties and uses.

Metal	Properties	Uses
Aluminium	Lightweight Resistant to corrosion	Window frames Aircraft Electric cables
Copper	Very good conductor of heat and electricity Easy to shape into pipes or wires	Water pipes Electrical wires Cooking utensils Coins
Lead	Absorbs harmful radiation Heavy	Screens for X-ray departments Sinkers for fishing

Alloys

Alloys are formed when different metals are melted down and mixed together and then allowed to cool. The alloys produced may have different properties to the metals that they are composed of.

Some common alloys are bronze, stainless steel, and duralumin.

Alloy	Composition	Properties	Uses
Bronze	Copper Tin Zinc	Resistant to corrosion Harder and stronger than copper	Parts of ships decks and propellers
Stainless steel	Iron, Chromium Nickel	Very strong Very resistant to corrosion	Surgical equipment, Cutlery Sinks
Duralumin	Aluminium, Copper, Manganese Magnesium	Very light Harder than steel	Aircraft Racing bikes