1. Metals Unit
Metals make up 84 of the 103 elements on a standard periodic table…the elements above 103 are also metals, but they are relatively rare and are man-made.
Metals have a sea of free moving electrons that give them properties of conductivity, malleability, and ductility.
Most all metals have a natural luster in their pure form, although some form oxide layers that cause them to be dull.

2. Abundance of Metals
Aluminum is the most abundant metal on the earth…it is the 3rd most abundant element in the earth’s crust after oxygen and silicon.
Iron is the second most abundant metal in the earth’s crust, closely followed by calcium.

3. Abundance of Elements In the Earth’s Crust
10 Most Abundant Elements in the Earth's Crust
Source: CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 77th Edition
Element Abundance
Abundance
percent by weight parts per million by weight
Oxygen 46.1% 461,000
Silicon 28.2% 282,000
Aluminum 8.23% 82,300
Iron % 56,300
Calcium 4.15% 41,500
Sodium 2.36% 23,600
Magnesium 2.33% 23,300
Potassium 2.09% 20,900
Titanium % 5,650
Hydrogen 0.14% 1,400

4. Aluminum Bauxite ore (Al2O3) is 37-54% aluminum.
Aluminum is the most abundant metal on Earth, but it has had a small impact on man until the 1900’s.
Aluminum is not found pure in nature and the process of isolating aluminum was invented by Charles Joseph Bayer in 1887….called the Bayer process…see below.(900oC)
Bauxite ore (Al2O3) is 37-54% aluminum.

5. Aluminum Data Sheet Atomic Number 13 Atomic Mass 26.98 amu
Electron Config. 1s22s22p63s23p1 .
Density g/cm3
Melting pt oC
Heat of fusion kJ/mol or kj/g
Reflectivity 92% visible/98% infrared
Conductivity 59% of copper/30% copper’s density
Al makes up 8% of the earth’s solid surface by weight.
It has a low density and moderate strength.

6. Aluminum Data Sheet
Aluminum forms an oxide coating on the outside that protects it from further oxidation.
33% of aluminum comes from recycled aluminum…this saves 95% of the energy…you only have to heat aluminum to 660 oC to melt and recycle as opposed to over 900oC for purifying it from Al2O3 ore.
No known form of life uses aluminum salts in metabolic processes and organisms tolerate Al well.

7. Copper Data Sheet Atomic Number 29 Atomic Mass 63.55 amu
Electron Config. 1s22s22p63s23p613d104s1.
Density g/cm3
Melting pt. 1,084.6oC
Heat of fusion kJ/mol
Reflectivity 30% blue light to 86% red light
Conductivity The 2nd most conductive metal 94.6% as conductive as silver.
Al makes up .0068% of the earth’s crust by weight.
It has a high ductility and melleability.

8. Copper Data Sheets (cont’d)
Alloys of copper
brass: copper + zinc
bronze: copper + tin
cupro nickel: copper + nickel
Together with cesium and gold (both yellow/gold) and osmium (bluish) copper is only one of 4 metals that are other than grey/silver.
Copper can be 100% recycled, but recycled copper has slight impurities which are difficult to remove and cannot be used for electrical conductive uses, but is fine for plumbing…copper can be joined easily for plumbing applications.

9. Top 4 Metals of Conductivity
Resistivity ρ (Ω•m) at 20 °C σ Conductivity (S/m) at 20 °C
Silver 1.59×10− ×107
Copper 1.68×10− ×107
Gold ×10− ×107
Aluminum 2.82×10− ×107

10. Gold Data Sheets Atomic Number 79 Atomic Mass 196.97 amu
Electron Config. Gold: Z:79 [Xe] 6s1 4f14 (exception)
Density g/cm3
Melting pt. 1,064oC
Heat of fusion 12.5kJ/mol
Reflectivity 95%
Conductivity The 3rd most conductive metal 65% as conductive as silver.
Au makes up 3.1x10-7% of the earth’s crust by weight.
It has a high ductility and malleability and is very resistant to oxidation and acids…aqua regia* is used to dissolve gold and platinum.
(*mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids 1:3)

11. Gold Price The current price of gold is $1224.30 per ounce.
prices?mm_campaign=ded766d9b14132b905fbb47191e5350e&mm_replace=true&gclid=Cj0KEQjwstaqBRCT38DWpZjJotIBEiQAERS6_Od2I_IGVajWMT96eQhzid0jjOly U1xQH1n7TG3wauwaAreP8P8HAQ
Link to gold price history

12. Specific Heats of Some Substances
Substance c in J/gm K
Aluminum
Bismuth
Copper
Brass
Gold
Lead
Silver
Tungsten
Zinc
Mercury
Alcohol(ethyl) 2.4
Water
Ice (-10 C) 2.05
Granite
Glass