Metallic properties of chemical elements

At the moment, science knows one hundred and fivechemical elements, systematized in the form of a periodic table. The overwhelming majority of them are considered to be metals, which implies that these elements have special qualities. This is the so-called metallic properties. Such characteristics, in the first place, include plasticity, increased heat and electric conductivity, the ability to form alloys, and a low ionization potential.

The metallic properties of an elementare due to the ability of its atoms when interacting with the atomic structures of other elements to shift electron clouds in their direction or to "give" their free electrons to them. The most active metals are those that have a low ionization energy and electronegativity. Also, pronounced metallic properties are characteristic for elements having the largest radius of an atom and an extremely small number of external (valence) electrons.

As the valence orbit is filling, the quantityelectrons in the outer layer of the atomic structure increases, and the radius, respectively, decreases. In this connection, the atoms begin to strive for the attachment of free electrons, and not for their recoil. The metallic properties of such elements tend to decrease, and their nonmetallic properties increase. And, conversely, when the atomic radius increases, the metal properties are noted to increase. Therefore, a characteristic common feature of all metals are, so-called, restorative qualities - the same ability of an atom to give free electrons.

The most clearly metallic properties of the elementsare manifested in substances of the first, second groups of main subgroups of the periodic table, as well as in alkaline and alkaline earth metals. But the strongest restoration properties are observed in France, and in the water environment - in lithium due to a higher indicator of hydration energy.

The number of elements that manifest themselvesmetal properties, within the period increases with the number of the period. In the periodic table, metals from non-metals are separated by a diagonal line that extends from boron to astatine. On this dividing line are located elements in which both qualities are manifested equally. Such substances include silicon, arsenic, boron, germanium, astatum, antimony and tellurium. This group of elements is called metalloids.

Each period is characterized bya kind of "border zone" in which the elements with dual qualities are located. Consequently, the transition from a clearly expressed metal to a typical non-metal is carried out gradually, which is reflected in the periodic table.

General properties of metal elements (highelectrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, ductility, characteristic luster, plasticity, etc.) are due to the similarity of their internal structure, or more precisely - the presence of a crystal lattice. However, there are many qualities (density, hardness, melting point), which give all metals a highly individual physicochemical properties. These characteristics depend on the structure of the crystal lattice of each particular element.

</ p>>