Properties of metals

Question 1

What do all metals allow electrical charge

Answer 1

Metals all allow electric charge to pass through them easily

Question 2

What are the moving charges called

Answer 2

Moving charges are negatively-charged particles called electrons

Question 3

What can free electrons do and why can they

Answer 3

Free electrons can carry current from one side of the metal to the other.
Because they conduct well, Metals are often used to make wire and parts of electrical circuits

Question 4

Give the stages for metal conducting electricity

Answer 4

• The ‘hot’ particle vibrate strongly
• Because the particles are very close together, the vibrations are easily passed on through the metal
• Free electrons also help transfer energy from the hot part of the metal to the cooler parts as they move around
• This is why you get things like saucepans made out of metal, energy from the hob passes easily through the pan and cooks your food

Question 5

Give points for metals being strong, tough and shiny and sonorous

Answer 5

• Metals have high tensile strength (They can be pulled hard without breaking)
• This is because there are strong forces between metal atoms that hold them together
• So they make good building material
• Polished or freshly cut metal give strong reflection of light form their smooth surface
• Metals can make loud gong sounds

Question 6

Give the point for metals being malleable and ductile

Answer 6

Malleable
- Metals are easily shaped because the atoms
inside metals can slide over each other
- This means melts can be hammered on thin sheet or bent without shattering
Ductile
- This means they can be drawn into wires
- Metals aren’t brittle like non-metals they just bend and stretch

Question 7

Give the points for metals having high melting points and boiling points, and densities

Answer 7

Melting and boiling points
- A lot of energy is needed to melt metals
Because their atoms are joined up with strong metals
Densities
- Density is how much is squeezed into a certain space
- Metals feel heavy for their size because their atoms are tightly packed into a small volume

Question 8

Give the melting (MP) and boiling points (BP) for:
Aluminum
Copper
Magnesium
Iron
Zinc
Silver

Answer 8

Aluminum - 660 (MP) 2520 (BP)
Copper - 1085 (MP) 2562 (BP)
Magnesium - 650 (MP) 1090 (BP)
Iron - 1538 (MP) 2861 (BP)
Zinc - 420 (MP) 907 (BP)
Silver - 962 (MP) 2162 (BP)

Question 9

Give the points for metals making alloys when mixed with other materials

Answer 9

• A combination of different metals is called an alloy. The properties of the metals get jumbled up in the new alloy
• Lighter, weaker metals can be mixed with heavier, stronger metals and the result ,hopefully, is a light and strong alloy

Question 10

Give the points for metals being magnetic

Answer 10

• Only certain metals are magnetic
• Most metals aren’t magnetic. Iron, nickel and cobalt are. Alloys made with these 3 can be magnetic