Metal Questions

The Earth’s crust is a storehouse for various types of elements. Elements are classified into metals and non-metals. Metals and non-metals differ in their thermal conductivity, malleability, and ductility. Chemical compositions of one metal differ from other metals. Some metals are abundantly available in nature and some are rarely available. Some metals react with atmospheric oxygen, and some metals do not readily react with atmospheric oxygen.

Examples of metals are: silver, gold, zinc, copper, palladium, platinium, aluminum, potassium, iron, titanium, calcium, cadmium, thallium, lead, livermorium and magnesium.

Physical properties of metals are:

• Malleability – metals can be hammered into thin sheets.
• Ductility – metals can be drawn into wires.
• Metals are a good conductor of heat and electricity.
• Lustrous – metals have a shiny appearance.
• Tensile strength – metals have high capacity to hold heavyweights.
• Sonorous – When metals are struck, they make a ringing sound.
• Hard – metals cannot be cut easily.
• At room temperature metals are in solid form except for mercury.
• Metals are opaque.
• High density.
• High melting point.

Chemical properties of metals are:

• Metals are easily corrodible.
• Metals can lose electrons.
• It forms basic oxides. An aqueous solution of metal oxide turns red litmus paper into blue.
• Metals have low electro-negativities.
• Metals are good reducing agents.

Metals are used in various sectors for different requirements. It is used in the construction industry. It is used in the electronic industry to make parts of equipment and gadgets like mobiles, fridges, television, and computers.

It is used in the medical field, it is used in manufacturing of medicines in the form of antacids. Metals are also used in the making of machinery, refractory and automobiles. Metals are used in the manufacturing of decorative products and jewellery sets. It is widely used in the military in the manufacturing of equipment, weapons and ammunition.

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Important Metal Questions with Answers

1. Which among the following is a metal?

1. Chlorine
2. Hydrogen
3. Sodium
4. Sulphur

Answer: c) Sodium

Explanation: Among the given options, sodium is the metal.

2. What are metals?

Metals are inorganic substances that are formed naturally below the surface of the Earth. Most metals are lustrous or shiny.

3. What is ductility?

Ductility is the property of the metal. The ability of the material to be stretched into a wire is known as ductility.

4. Choose YES or NO: Can metals be made into sheets?

1. YES
2. NO

Answer: YES

Explanation: Metals are malleable. Malleability is the property of substances that allows them to be beaten into flat sheets.

5. Which of these metals does not occur in a free state?

1. Silver
2. Gold
3. Copper
4. Sodium

Answer: d) Sodium

Explanation: Since sodium is extremely reactive, it never occurs in the free state in the Earth’s crust.

6. List five properties of metals.

Properties of metals are:

• Lustrous
• Ductility
• Malleability
• Tensile strength
• High melting point

7. State true or false: Metals cannot be corroded.

1. TRUE
2. FALSE

Answer: b) FALSE

Explanation: Metals can be corroded easily. Corrosion is a chemical reaction that takes place between metal and oxygen in the presence of moisture. Most of the metals react with atmospheric oxygen and corrode.

8. Which among the following is the strongest metal?

1. Chlorine
2. Hydrogen
3. Tungsten
4. Calcium

Answer: c) Tungsten

Explanation: Among the given options, tungsten is the strongest metal. Tungsten is one of the rarest metals, and it is the strongest metal in the universe.

9. Diamond is a metal or nonmetal?

Diamond is a nonmetal. Diamond is a form of carbon that is not classified as an element. In the exceptional category, diamond is not considered a nonmetal.

10. Which among the following is considered a liquid metal?

1. Gold
2. Mercury
3. Tungsten
4. Sulphur

Answer: b) Mercury

Explanation: Mercury is considered a liquid metal since it is liquid at or near room temperature.

Practice Questions

1. List five differences between metals and nonmetals.
2. What is metal?
3. List five strongest metals.
4. Is lutetium a liquid metal?
5. What is meant by tensile strength?

See the video below to learn about metals and nonmetals.

Watch the video below to learn about corrosion of metals.