Metals are electropositive elements that tend to donate electrons, form positive ions, and become stable. For example:

Metals also generally have certain distinguishing physical properties that make them easy to identify and classify.

Some main physical properties of metals are;

• They have a lustre and a metallic appearance.
• They are usually in the form of a solid at room temperature.
• They are very good conductors of electricity and heat.
• Metals are malleable and ductile.
• They mostly have a very high melting point.

Chemical Properties of Metals:

1) Reaction of Metal with Oxygen
Metals react with oxygen to form metal oxides. Metals donate electrons to oxygen for the formation of metal oxides. For example,

Metal oxides are generally basic, but they can also be amphoteric. Amphoteric oxides mean that they are acidic as well as basic in nature. Some metals like sodium and potassium react vigorously with oxygen. Whenever sodium or potassium is exposed to air, it catches fire. Hence, they are kept in kerosene.

2) Reaction of Metal with Water
Some metals react with water to form metal hydroxide, whereas some of them do not react. Reactivity with water differs from metal to metal.

Metals like sodium and potassium are highly reactive. They react with water to form alkalis, such as sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide.

Calcium also reacts with water to form calcium hydroxide and hydrogen.

Whereas, magnesium and zinc do not react with cold water. They form their respective oxides when reacted with hot water.

Iron is less reactive than sodium, potassium, calcium, zinc and magnesium. It does not react with cold and hot water, but it reacts with steam to form magnetic oxides.

3) Reaction with Dilute Acids
Metals like sodium, potassium, lithium and calcium react vigorously with dilute HCl and H₂SO₄ to form their metal salt and hydrogen.

While magnesium, zinc, iron, tin and lead do not react vigorously with acids.

Metals that fall below hydrogen in the reactivity series do not react with dilute acids. They cannot displace hydrogen to form a bond with a non-metal anion.

4) Reaction of Metal with Other Metal Salts
More reactive metals readily react with less reactive metals. More reactive metal displaces the less reactive metal from its oxides, chlorides or sulphides.

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