METALS

The name metal comes from the Greek word ‘métallon’ meaning ‘mine, quarry, and metal’. It is an element that is usually rather hard, opaque, shiny and has a good electrical and thermal conductivity. Generally metals are known to be very malleable meaning that they can be hammered and pressed permanently out of their original shape without causing any damage such as breaking or cracking it. Metals are also fusible and ductile alloys that can be melted into a liquid and can be drawn out into a very thin wire. Out of the one hundred and eighteen elements in the periodic table around ninety one of them are metals with the others being non-metals or metalloids.