The properties of metals

In a nutshell

Metals have many properties that allow them to have a wide range of different uses. They are good conductors of both heat and electricity; they are also very strong as they have a high tensile strength and density. Some metals are magnetic and they are all ductile and malleable. Additionally, metals can be shiny and sonorous with a high melting and boiling point.

Properties summarised

Metals have similar properties. Below you will find a summary of the shared properties.

PROPERTY	FURTHER INFORMATION	USES
Good electrical conductor	Metals allow electrical current to pass through easily.	Wires
Good thermal conductor	Metals allow heat energy to transfer easily from a hot place to a cold place.	Pots and pans
Shiny	Any metal which is polished will reflect light well on the smooth surfaces which is the reason for its shininess.	Metal railings and plates
High tensile strength	Can be pulled hard without stretching or breaking.	Building material
Sonorous	The 'dong/gong' sound a metal makes when hit.	Gong
Malleable	Metals can be hammered easily into the shape you want.	Cars, ships, and planes
Ductile	Can be drawn into a long wire without snapping or breaking.	Wires
High melting and boiling point	Lots of energy is required to melt metals, leading to a high melting and boiling point.	Ovens
High density	They are heavy for their size because there are a lot of atoms in a given space.	All uses
Some are magnetic	Not all metals are magnetic. Examples Nickel and cobalt are magnetic.	Iron nails, fridge magnet