Metals

Metal Properties

Mechanical Properties, Physical Properties and Chemical Properties

In large part, the ways of distinguishing metals can be broken down into three categories: mechanical properties, physical properties and chemical properties.

Physical properties refer to observable characteristics of a material. Examples of physical properties include color, melting point and density. Mechanical Properties describe how a material reacts to external forces like pushing, pulling or twisting. Strength, hardness and elasticity are examples of mechanical properties.

Chemical properties explain how a material interacts with other materials in a given environment. These properties determine how the material will behave on a molecular level. Chemical properties are the basis for physical and mechanical properties.

Neither physical nor mechanical properties are constant; they change according to the environment. For example, elasticity (mechanical property) and density (physical property) are dependent on material temperature.