Question

Name the softest metal.

Answer 1

Metal:

1. They are naturally occurring elements with an electropositive character. Alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, transition metals, lanthanides, and actinides are among the metal groups present in the periodic table.
2. Metals are ductile in nature which means wires can be made out of them.
3. They are malleable in nature i.e. they can be converted into thin sheets
4. They are excellent heat and electrical conductors.
5. They are lustrous i.e. have a shiny finish.
6. They are capable of tolerating heavyweights i.e. have good tensile strength.
7. They have a resonant quality to them. It means they generate a sound when we strike them.
8. They are hard. It means they are difficult to cut. Except few are soft in nature.
9. With the presence of only one valence electron, alkali metals have a large atomic size. As a result, the metallic bonds between the atoms are weak.
10. Alkali metals are soft and can be sliced with a knife due to the presence of this weak metallic bonding.
11. Out of all the stable elements, Cesium has the biggest atomic radius and the lowest electronegativity. It is a metallic element with a silvery-gold color.
12. It is a really soft metal. At or near room temperature, cesium is one of four elements that exist in liquid form. It is an alkaline element in the periodic table.
13. It is immediately attacked by air and explodes when it comes into contact with water.

Therefore, Cesium is the softest metal.