Naked Science Forum
Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: DoctorBeaver on 28/11/2008 18:42:28
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I know elements like iron and aluminium are metals. But then there's stuff like calcium and sodium. They certainly don't look like what I would call metal.
So what exactly is a metal?
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They certainly don't look like what I would call metal
Why?
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I wouldn't pick up a piece of sodium or calcium and think "Oooh, I could turn this on a lathe and make something nice".
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It bonds ionically with non-metals, just an idea...
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Metals are good conductors of heat and electricity...
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Na and K are not as strong as many metals but they are shiny (because of their high conductivity) when freshly cut, malleable, ductile, good thermal conductors. What properties do they share with C,S,I?
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I wouldn't pick up a piece of sodium or calcium and think "Oooh, I could turn this on a lathe and make something nice".
So you're not looking for a definition of "metal" but for a definition of "what is possible to turn on a lathe and making something nice".
A metal is a chemical element the structure of which is determined by the "metallic bond". It means that positive ions forms a lattice and the remaining electrons interact with all the first so that they can move freely through the entire lattice. According to this definition, Na and Ca are metals.
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Most elements are metals and an even bigger proportion of solid elements are metals - it's only a way of categorising things because they share certain common properties - not the other way round.
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I wouldn't pick up a piece of sodium or calcium and think "Oooh, I could turn this on a lathe and make something nice".
So laburnum wood is a metal.
http://www.scottish-crafts.co.uk/pdfwoodturningpages/laburnum%20goblets.htm
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How about a nice turned mercury candlestick?
OK in the deep freeze but the candle would melt it.