Metal

Metals are opaque, lustrous elements that are good conductors of heat and electricity. Most metals are malleable and ductile and are, in general, denser than the other elemental substances. Metals are usually crystalline solids. In most cases, they have a relatively simple crystal structure distinguished by a close packing of atoms and a high degree of symmetry. Metals differ widely in their chemical reactivity. The most reactive include lithium, potassium, and radium, whereas those of low reactivity are gold, silver, palladium, and platinum.