A metal is a solid material (an element, compound, or alloy) that is typically hard, opaque, shiny, and features good electrical and thermal conductivity. Metals are generally malleable—that is, they can be hammered or pressed permanently out of shape without breaking or cracking—as well as fusible (able to be fused or melted) and ductile (able to be drawn out into a thin wire).
Currently, 91 out of the 118 total elements on the periodic table are classified as metals.
Roentgenium is a synthetic chemical element with the atomic number 111 in the periodic table. It’s a synthetically produced transuranium element that cannot be found in Earth’s crust. As a member of the transition metals family of periodic table elements, this noble metal has three valence electrons and is currently used only in scientific research. … Read more
Meitnerium is a radioactive chemical element with the atomic number 109 in the periodic table. Since it’s synthetically produced, meitnerium cannot be found in Earth’s crust. Being a member of the transition metals family of the periodic table, the element 109 is assumed to be the heaviest metal of group 9, after iridium, rhodium, and … Read more
Gold (Au) Introduction Gold is a chemical element with an atomic number of 79 in the periodic table of elements. It’s a precious metal found in its free elemental form in the beds of streams, alluvial deposits, and rock veins. Being a member of the transition metals family of periodic table elements, gold has one … Read more
Platinum is a chemical element with the atomic number 78 in the periodic table. It’s an extremely rare metal with an abundance in Earth’s crust of about a millionth of 1 percent. Known since ancient times, this transition metal has strong anti-corrosive properties and makes for an excellent conductor of electricity. Being a member of … Read more
Silver (Ag) Introduction Silver is a chemical element with the atomic number 47 in the periodic table. It constitutes 0.05 part per million of Earth’s crust and ranks as the 68th most abundant chemical element. The properties of this noble metal have been known even to the ancient civilizations. As a member of the … Read more
Introduction Nickel is a chemical element with the atomic number 28 in the periodic table. It’s found in Earth’s crust with an abundance of 84 parts per million by weight. Being a member of the transition metals family of the periodic table, this divalent silvery-white metallic element has strong corrosion resistance and moderately strong ferromagnetic … Read more
Copper is a chemical element with an atomic number of 29 in the periodic table of elements. The occurrence of this metal in Earth’s crust is about 0.25%, concentrated in copper ores. Apart from gold, copper is the only metal that does not naturally occur in gray or silver color. It also has two valence … Read more
Palladium (Pd) Introduction Palladium is a chemical element with the atomic number 46 in the periodic table. It’s the most abundant platinum metal and occurs in Earth’s crust at an abundance of 0.015 parts per million. Being a member of the platinum group metals (PGM) of the periodic table, palladium has three valence electrons and … Read more
Bismuth is a chemical element with the atomic number 86 in the periodic table. With 0.00002% of abundance, it’s the 71st most abundant chemical element in Earth’s crust. Element 86 is a pentavalent chemical element that participates in many compounds, as well as a member of the post-transition metals family of elements. The chemical properties … Read more
Lead (Pb) Introduction Lead is a chemical element with atomic number 82 in the periodic table. It’s available in Earth’s crust at 14 ppm and is typically found in the form of several different lead ores. This lustrous heavy metal has four valence electrons and the heaviest stable atom among all other elements of Mendeleev’s … Read more